Fayetteville officials are on track to finalize a lease for a new ballpark with the Houston Astros by year’s end, and could present some terms later this month.
Since agreeing to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) this summer, the two sides have been working to complete the ballpark lease. If it moves forward, the deal would allow the Astros’ High-A Carolina League franchise to begin playing in a new downtown Fayetteville ballpark in 2019.
Following a closed door meeting on Tuesday, officials confirmed that the lease talks are progressing to the point that a draft of the agreement could be presented later this month. More from the Fayetteville Observer:
In open session Tuesday, City Attorney Karen McDonald told the baseball committee she plans to have the lease agreement ready for the council’s Nov. 28 meeting.
And Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer said he hoped to put the master site development plan on the Dec. 12 meeting for the council’s consideration.
“I am very pleased with the progress of the project, and I am looking forward to bringing the details of the agreements to council and to the citizens for more discussions,” Mayor Pro Tem Mitch Colvin, chairman of the committee, said after the meeting.
City Manager Doug Hewett told a reporter city officials “are very comfortable with where we are at this moment with the project for the stadium and the overall master plan for the site.”