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Biloxi Moves Closer to Ending Dispute with Shuckers

Biloxi Shuckers logo

Following a vote on Tuesday, the City of Biloxi and the Biloxi Shuckers (Class AA; Southern League) may be closer to ending their ongoing dispute.

In December, the city filed a lawsuit against Biloxi Baseball and Overtime Sports, contending that it needed a clearer accounting of revenue from operations at MGM Park. That dispute may be closer to being resolved, with resolutions that were considered in an executive session on Tuesday providing the team and the city a chance to collaborate on some initiatives.

The resolutions, which were approved unanimously by the city council, signify that the city and team are prepared to work together on a handful of ballpark-related initiatives. As part of that agreement, the city moved to dismiss parts of the lawsuit against Overtime Sports and its president, Tim Bennett. More from The Sun Herald:

The city will continue to work with the ownership of the Shuckers to resolve any other financial issues, city attorney Peter Abide said. “It’s just a contract that needs to be negotiated.”

“I’m happy to see a 7-0 vote,” Bennett said Wednesday, “that shows a unanimous effort to work together between the city and Overtime Sports.” Bennett, who worked for 10 years to get the stadium built and a minor league baseball team in Biloxi, added, “This is a monumental step forward. In my career I’ve strived to keep a good and positive reputation and having this behind me is significant.”

Abide said Wednesday the city and team are working out a resolution of the accounting and other agreements required in the lawsuit filed Dec. 5 in Harrison County Chancery Court. It asks for a clear accounting of revenue from the operations at MGM Park to verify revenues and expenses.

The resolutions covered user agreements for the MGM Park marquee, surcharges on the tickets for the upcoming Conference USA baseball tournament, and naming rights for the field at MGM Park. The city will control the naming rights and is expected to issue a request for proposal soon, according to The Sun Herald.

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