Veteran minor-league owner Jason Freier will be on hand tonight for a Columbia (S.C.) City Council discussion about a proposed ballpark development. Freier, whose Hardball Capital owns the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Low Class A; Midwest League) and the Savannah Sand Gnats (Low Class A; Sally League) and was instrumental in the Parkview Field development that […]
Tag Archives | city council
Populous lands El Paso ballpark design contract
Not a surprise: Populous will design the new Triple-A downtown El Paso ballpark, after the City Council today approved a contract by a 6-2 margin. Populous had been working with the city on preliminary planning for the $50-million facility, expected to open in 2014 to house the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). […]
Twin Cities group negotiating to buy Slammers
Attorney Josh Schaub and real-estate developer Tom Gump — both of Minneapolis — emerged as the potential buyers for the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League), as they met with the City Council about a revised ballpark lease. According to his LinkedIn profile, Schaub is an attorney specializing in sports law, teaching at Hamline University School […]
Joliet Slammers sale imminent
A sale of the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) is close to fruition, with changes to the Silver Cross Field memo of understanding expected to be approved Monday night by the city council. The city council doesn’t have a direct say in the sale of the Slammers, but does have an indirect one: if the […]
Developer set to introduce Rays ballpark plan Friday
Developer Darryl LeClair is set to unveil his new-ballpark plan for the Tampa Bays Rays Friday at a special St. Petersburg City Council meeting, and it’s safe to say no one has a clue about what he’ll propose. LeClair has briefed city and council officials about the outlines of his plan, but it doesn’t sound like […]
Lease officially approved in Wilmington
Though both sides had agreed to the terms, a lease for a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark with Mandalay Baseball Properties and the Atlanta Braves was officially approved by the City Council. As you’ll recall, the three announced last Friday that all sides had agreed to a lease that called for a Braves-owned Wilmington team to […]
El Paso ballpark approval squeaks through
By a narrow 4-3 margin, the El Paso City Council approved a proposed lease with MountainStar Sports for a new $50 million downtown ballpark for the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), but don’t assume the issue is settled — yet. After hours and hours of public input on the new ballpark, the […]
MountainStar: Deal to bring Triple-A to El Paso could fall through if ballpark not approved
With support on the City Council for a new downtown ballpark wobbly, MountainStar Sports warns that bringing a Triple-A team to El Paso is contingent on a ballpark lease being passed Tuesday — but a key council member has declared her opposition to any deal without a public vote. With Mayor John Cook poised to […]
Milwaukie to study economic impact of summer-collegiate ball
The Milwaukie (Ore.) City Council voted to spend $5,000 on updated economic studies to determine the impact of a summer-collegiate team team at a new ballpark — but declined to start negotiating with the West Coast League. The city had been negotiating with the short-season Northwest League about the possible move of a franchise, but […]
Mayor, Council differ on approach to Rays ballpark issue
St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster is committed to keeping the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field through all legal means possible, but the City Council is aggressively questioning that absolutist approach. The split between the city and the council was apparent at a workshop for the council yesterday. Normally, a City Council workshop means a […]