The Rochester Red Wings (Class AAA; International League) are staying at Frontier Field for at least another decade after agreeing to a new lease with Monroe County, ending months of acrimony and strained negotiations.
Things got to the point where International League President Randy Mobley threatened to move the team this season if a new lease was not in place by March 1. While some dismissed the threat as mere sable-rattling, the threat apparently worked after the two sides agreed to a 10-year lease, with a mutual option for an additional 10 years. The new lease was announced yesterday by Rochester Red Wings President/CEO/COO Naomi Silver and Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo. It contains some major changes, including the elimination of Greater Rochester Outdoor Sports Facility Corp. as the ballpark landlord. That alone will save the county $320,000 or so in Frontier Field overhead. From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle:
“It has been an arduous process, to which I’m sure they would agree,” an emotional Silver said, “but I do believe these things never come easily. I want to thank the county because it means more to us than you could imagine.”…
The new lease decrees that the Red Wings will pay $100,000 per year in rent, while the county has agreed to make any stadium upgrades required by the International League. On the team’s wish list is creating a 360-degree walking experience around the facility; currently there is no access behind the outfield.
“The county will make capital improvements in accordance with the International League standards,” said Dinolfo, though she did not say what those improvements would be. “This is a community asset, a community treasure, and we will make sure we keep this stadium on the top of its game for years to come.”
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