Following a key vote on Tuesday, the Bridgeport Bluefish (independent; Atlantic League) are closing in on a one-year lease extension.
The vote came from a city council contracts committee, which approved the framework for a one-year extension. In September, the Bluefish made it clear that their preference was to remain at the The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, but wanted to resolve some issues relating to ballpark maintenance.
As it is proposed, the lease between the team and the city outlines addresses what the Bluefish responsibilities while also resolving an issue relating to parking revenue. More from CTPost.com:
Under the one-year pact voted on Thursday, the Bluefish would continue to pay the city $150,000 in rent. The team would also pay an additional $117,020 to settle a fight over maintenance bills that dates back to Ganim’s recent predecessor, ex-Mayor Bill Finch.
Upon his return to office last December, Ganim had claimed the Bluefish owed $250,000 in unpaid rent. Boulton countered that the team recieved rent credits from Finch for work the Bluefish performed at the ballpark following the 2010 tornado that struck Bridgeport and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
The Ganim administration has also agreed to waive what [attourney Ronald] Pacacha said was the remaining balance — around $40,000 — of $204,000 in overdue rent Boulton had assumed from the prior Bluefish owners. Pacacha said that would put to rest another inherited dispute between Boulton and Finch over changes in ballpark parking, which the owner said deprived him of promised revenues.
“The parking arrangement changed, and it wasn’t fair to the Bluefish,” Pacacha said.
The lease requires a vote from the full Bridgeport City Council to receive final approval. The 2017 season will be the Bluefish’s 20th in Bridgeport.
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