The Asheville Tourists (Low A; Sally League) will continue to call McCormick Field home over the coming seasons, agreeing to a lease extension that runs through 2021.
With their previous lease expiring at the end of this year, the Tourists have agreed to a two-year extension that keeps them at the city-owned McCormick Field through the 2021 season. As part of that extension, Tourists ownership DeWine Seeds-Silver Dollar Baseball LLC will handle day-to-day operations, maintain the playing surface, and pay utilities, while giving the city $1 annually in rent. The city will have its own responsibilities, including covering the costs of structural repairs to the ballpark.
Though the short-term extension is in place, the two sides will continue discussions in pursuit of a long-term deal. While it remains to be seen exactly what a long-term lease extension would look like, it appears that the Tourists and Asheville officials will look at working capital improvements to McCormick Field into the next agreement. More from the Asheville Citizen-Times:
Under terms of the new contract, the DeWine organization provides day-to-day operations, maintenance of the playing field and payment of all utilities, a city staff report shows. The team is being charged $1 per year for rent. City staff are responsible for structural repairs to the facility, landscaping outside the stadium, trash removal and pest control, per the report.
The city notes a long-term lease is being negotiated with the Tourists “that will include capital improvements.”
“The City is responsible for infrastructure repairs to the stadium,” the report reads. “Any proposed major repairs are processed through the City’s CIP budgeting process.”
The lease extension was approved by the Asheville City Council on Tuesday.