Peoria felt like a major league city last week, when Cubs' pitcher Carlos Zambrano wore a Chiefs uniform. But according to Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal, we're among the cream of the crop of minor league cities.

"When you sit down and think about the longevity of the Chiefs and the Rivermen and the Pirates and the facilities we have here, no it doesn't surprise me," Chiefs president Rocky Vonachen told News 25..

But it might surprise fans in much larger cities like Las Vegas and Louisville to learn that Peoria ranked 6th out of the 239 minor league cities Street and Smith's surveyed.

Criteria for the survey includes attendance, tenure of franchises in the market, caliber of facilities, and the economic contribution the team makes to the community

Rivermen CEO Josh Morin says the passion of the fans in Central Illinois makes points with him.

"We have some great fans and it's a smaller town but they appreciate the sports they have here," said Morin. "We're a Triple–A hockey team in sort of a medium sized market, which I think is kind of uncommon."

There's little doubt that the sports venues in Peoria are a big reason for Street and Smith's number–6 ranking. In fact, Vonachen says were it not for O'Brien Field the Chiefs and minor league baseball might not still be here.

"I don't think we would have survived if we were still playing at the other facility. This ballpark gave the Chiefs some new life in 2002 when we moved down here. It gives the fans a major league feel in a smaller facility. It helped revitalize minor league baseball."

"The Civic Center just put $55–million into a renovation of the Civic Center and Carver Arena," said Morin. " We've got top notch, if not major league facilities in a minor league city."

For the record, Street and Smith's ranks Hershey, Pennsylvania, the nation's top minor league city. Bloomington is 144.