The city of Adelanto (Cal.) has rejected an unsolicited $1.6-million offer for Mavericks Stadium, home of the High Desert Mavericks (High Class A; California League).
The offer, on behalf of a unnamed buyer, would help the city address a $1.7 million budget shortfall. City officials say they’d rather work with the Mavericks on a plan to increase revenues. Right now the ballpark costs Adelanto between $50,000 to $150,000 annually for upkeep and maintenance, but the current lease calls for the Mavericks to pay $1 annually in exchange for the team picking up field maintenance costs. The lease runs though 2016, but the unnamed buyer isn’t necessarily committed to maintaining the status quo. From the Daily Press:
“Our buyer is aware of that (Mavericks) agreement,” [real estate brokers Joseph W.] Brady said of the city’s lease agreement with the baseball team, which is a Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. “Although there is that agreement, there’s always the opportunity to refine the agreement, and make the outcome better for both parties. We wanted to sit down, eyeball to eyeball with Mavericks, and really see what the long-term play is. Our buyer wants to make sure that the stadium is used all of the time.”
Brady seemed befuddled about why the fiscally challenged city would reject what he believed was a solid offer.
“I think it’s more than a fair offer,” he said. “I think this offer could help buy the city of Adelanto more time to try to fix its financial problem, but the offer to fix the stadium is not a cure-all for their structural deficit. It’s the same problem that Victor Valley College has. They’ve got a structural problem.”
Selling off assets to cover a shortfall, however, isn’t necessarily the best play, and city officials believe the ballpark and pro baseball add more to the city than just a one-time payment.