This pretty much wraps it up: the Pacific Coast League has preliminarily approved the purchase of the Tucson Padres by MountainStar Sports Group, which plans on moving the Triple-A franchise to El Paso in 2014.
The ownership group received approval of its Preliminary Application Review (“PAR”). Branch B. Rickey, president of the PCL, sent a letter dated July 30 to El Paso City Manager Joyce Wilson confirming that the ownership group received “unanimous” approval of its PAR application from the Pacific Coast League Executive Committee: “The Ownership Group has begun the next phase of baseball’s approval process by submitting a Control Interest Transfer (“CIT”) application to Minor League Baseball and the PCL.”
A partner in MountainStar Sports Group, Josh Hunt, said the PAR approval letter from Rickey was a very positive sign from the Pacific Coast League and Minor League Baseball. “This is all part of the baseball process, and it’s a big step forward,” said Hunt. “There are other necessary steps of approval, but we’re getting very close.”
MountainStar and the PCL have not formally announced which team is in the process of being sold — and, indeed, there are other PCL teams on the market — but sources have confirmed the team in question is the Tucson Padres, as Jeff Moorad and his investors are selling the former Portland Beavers for $20.5 million after a new ballpark failed to materialize in Escondido, Cal.
The ownership group consists of El Pasoans Woody Hunt, Josh Hunt, Paul Foster and Alejandra de la Vega Foster.
If approved by the PCL and MiLB, MLB could theoretically oppose the sale — but that’s never happened.
RELATED STORIES: Foster: Opposition to new El Paso ballpark not a surprise; Opposition to El Paso ballpark emerges; Hoteliers: We don’t want to pay for new El Paso ballpark; El Paso group: we’re one step closer to buying PCL team; Pacific Coast League expected to decide El Paso bid for baseball this week; El Paso: Let’s sell Cohen Stadium to Tigua tribe; T-Padres back in Kino Stadium for 2013; One side effect of new El Paso ballpark: return of UTEP baseball; El Paso ownership group pitches PCL; El Paso approves ballpark for Triple-A team; First look: El Paso ballpark renderings; Diablos casualty of new El Paso ballpark; Downtown ballpark planning moving forward in El Paso; El Paso to debate ballpark bond issue; El Paso group seeking downtown ballpark, T-Pads; Moorad to Escondido: We need quick action on ballpark; Obstacles to new ballparks in California: not as bleak as expected; Escondido moving forward with business park on proposed ballpark property; City, not Moorad group, to acquire Escondido land; Escondido mayor: Time to scrap new-ballpark plan; Moorad: Leaving Padres in Tucson a possibility; Escondido ballpark vote put off indefinitely; Escondido ballpark vote delayed;State government could kill Escondido T-Pods ballpark; New for 2011: Tucson Padres;Escondido approves Triple-A ballpark — with reservations; Moorad group, Escondido sign MOU for new ballpark; Escondido council fills vacancy in advance of ballpark vote; Crunch time for new Escondido ballpark; Padres raise ante in Escondido ballpark negotiations; Escondido ballpark vote delayed again; new council will decide; Padres make it official: Beavers to Tucson in 2011; Election shows mixed support for new Escondido ballpark; Tuesday elections could determine fate of Bevos; Bevos to Tucson for 2011; Escondido ballpark vote delayed after pollution found at site; Fate of Bevos in the air until November, maybe December; Padres pitch one-sided lease to Escondido; Escondido: Show us some money, Padres; Escondido in, San Marcos out of Bevos ballpark mix
—-
Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.
Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!
Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!