Talks between Wilmington (N.C.) officials and Mandalay Baseball Properties on a lease for a proposed downtown ballpark have failed to result in a lease agreement, but negotiations will continue. The two sides are discussing a deal for a new ballpark for the relocating Lynchburg Hillcats (High Class A; Carolina League), with the team owned by the Atlanta Braves and the […]
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Wilmington ballpark opponents won’t challenge petition rejection; site negotiations begin
Opponents of public spending on a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark won’t challenge a rejection of their petition drive, while city officials have begun negotiations for a waterfront site. The city rejected a petition from a group led by Josh Fulton and Ben McCoy, which would have changed city rules to prevent any public money spend […]
Wilmington ballpark to go before voters this fall
Wilmington (N.C.) voters will be asked to approving bonding for a new ballpark this fall, as officials throw out a controversial petition that would bar city spending on a facility. Voters will be asked to approve $42 million in bonding for all the costs of a new ballpark for the relocating Lynchburg Hillcats (High Class […]
New Wilmington ballpark: uncertainty reigns
Wilmington (N.C.) officials are debating whether to ask voters to approve funding for a new ballpark, as there are plenty of specifics — price, location, lease — still to be determined. To be placed on the fall ballot, a referendum question need to be completed by August 1, so there’s some time to settle these […]
Wilmington officials: Proposed ballpark lease won’t happen
A proposed lease for a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark hasn’t generated a whole lot of enthusiasm from City Council members, who are balking at some of the provisions. Some of the provisions are actually pretty routine in the construction world, but in the hypersensitive bubble that is Wilmington politics, they come off as onerous or […]
Wilmington to ask voters to approve new-ballpark bonding
With the collapse of a public-private partnership backing a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark, voters will be asked directly this fall whether to back bonds on the project. Developer Flywheel/Trask has withdrawn from the project, which calls for Mandalay Baseball Properties to run a new ballpark for a relocating Atlanta Braves farm team, the Lynchburg Hillcats (High […]
NSS: New Wilmington ballpark would generate $172 million in new spending
A new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark would create $172 million in direct spending and generate 3,952 new full- and part-time jobs, but opponents will find it to be less than persuasive when it comes to funding options. The report from National Sports Services, released today in draft version, has been long awaited by proposed of a […]
Third try’s the charm: petition opposing Wilmington ballpark funding succeeds
It took longer than anticipated, but opponents of public funding of a new ballpark in Wilmington (N.C.) finally turned in enough signatures to force a referendum or adoption. The measure would bar the city from spending any money on a new sports facility, a move designed to prevent any public funding of a new ballpark […]
More signatures tossed in Wilmington anti-ballpark petition drive
Sloppiness in the collection process has caused a board of elections to strike more signatures from a drive to deny public funding of a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark. The issue: some of the pages of the petition had a heading that had nothing to with sports or baseball. Because these pages didn’t pertain to the […]
Opponents of Wilmington ballpark fail in petition drive
A petition drive designed to prevent tax dollars being spent on a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark has temporarily failed, with opponents coming up short by 14 votes. The drive isn’t exactly derailed by this: though there’s apparently some ambiguity about whether more signatures can be submitted, City Attorney Bill Wolak says more signatures can be […]
Reese to try once again to torpedo new Charlotte ballpark
Undeterred by his five defeats in court, attorney Jerry Reese informed city officials that he will once again sue to prevent city funding of a new Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) ballpark. Reese has spent a good share of time over the last decade opposing any effort by the Knights ownership to actually move […]
No ballpark money in upcoming Wilmington budget
An unsettled situation became even more unsettled today, as a proposed 2013 budget for Wilmington (N.C.) lacks any money for a new ballpark for an Atlanta Braves farm team. The budget, unveiled during a work session this morning, does include a small tax hike to pay for infrastructure (roads, sidewalks) improvements. But in the face […]
“Free” land not so free in Wilmington
So how much are free road improvements worth in Wilmington (N.C.)? About 35 acres of land, apparently, as the offer of “free” land for a new ballpark looks worse with each passing minute. As you’ll recall, the Cameron family — in a really weird and twisted way — made an offer of 35 acres of […]