Auburn Community Baseball is seeking $125,000 in loaned city funds to cover debts associated with its management of the Auburn Doubledays (short season A; NY-Penn League).
The Doubledays and Falcon Field are owned by the city of Auburn, but the team is managed by the nonprofit. So, basically, the debt is the responsibility of the city no matter what, but the proposal calls for the money to be paid back by Auburn Community Baseball (ACB) over the course of two years at an interest rate of 3.25 percent. From the Auburn Citizen:
City Manager Doug Selby said ACB representatives approached him after they had identified the organization does not have the money to pay its debts.
“They are a city agent for the operation of the team, so I think it was natural for them to come to us to disclose a financial issue,” he said. “I’m not sure if they have any other option for them to go.”
In a memorandum from Selby to members of the Auburn City Council, the city manager cites poor attendance figures in 2013, partly caused by inclement weather cancellations, as one of the factors for the financial struggles.
One other issue: four general managers in four seasons. It’s hard to build much continuity in a local business community and amongst fans when there is such turnover in a team’s front office.
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