They say if you build it, they will come. But in the case of baseball in Atlantic City, it wasn't quite that majestic.

Professional sports teams have had a hard time being successful in Atlantic City. Over the past few years, the world's playground has seen minor league baseball, hockey, and arena football teams come and go. But it's the region's attempt at holding onto a baseball team that seems to stick out like a sore thumb -- probably because a once beautiful minor league ballpark has been sitting empty for years right at one of the gateways into the city.

That ballpark is Sandcastle Stadium (or Surf Stadium), the former home of the Atlantic City Surf from 1998 to 2009. Since 2009, the stadium has stood empty, often on the receiving end of vandalism and neglect.

But, according to Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian, baseball has a chance of coming back very soon.

Appearing on his monthly "Ask The Mayor" program on WPG Talk Radio 104.1 Thursday morning, Mayor Guardian predicts a baseball team could be back as early as next summer.

Mayor Guardian said city officials did a walk-through of the stadium last week to visually inspect the area and then said, "I think we're very, very close to cutting that deal and I project that we're going to have a baseball team here for next summer."

Hear Mayor Guardian's full comments on baseball in Atlantic City here...