For immediate release:
Dear Messrs. Kirkpatrick and O’Connor:
I am writing further to our meetings at City Hall concerning our Can-Am League/Baseball Canada proposal to retain baseball in Lynx Stadium in 2008 and beyond.
While it was our hope to take over the existing lease of Lynx Stadium for the 2008 and 2009 seasons following an announcement of the Ottawa Lynx of their departure for Allentown , PA , it has become apparent that this is not possible due to the ongoing legal difficulties between the Ottawa Lynx and the City of Ottawa .
I am writing to inform you that the Can-Am League has a team available to commence the 2008 season in Ottawa at Lynx Stadium which we would like to make possible under a sub-lease of the existing arrangements that the City of Ottawa has with the Ottawa Lynx. To make this possible for the 2008 season, we will have to know whether the City of Ottawa will allow a sub-lease of the existing arrangements by close of business on Wednesday, November 14, 2007.
It is our position that, with or without a departure announcement by the Lynx, a sub-lease arrangement could be possible with your direction and approval of City Council.
As indicated previously, the Can-Am League/Baseball Canada proposal: (i) could be implemented immediately without any cost to the City and Ottawa taxpayers; (ii) the ongoing legal action between the Lynx and the City could continue independently of our operations; (iii) the Stadium could be used for purposes of which it was built; (iv) the Stadium would not sit empty for 2008 and 2009 during ongoing legal proceedings; (v) any short-term divisive debate on the future of the Stadium is avoided; (vi) revenue could be generated until the end of the existing lease arrangement (to end of 2009); and (vii) the value of the City asset remains and grows until a final determination is made on its future use.
If a sub-lease could be possible, I would welcome an opportunity to discuss the Can-Am League and our proposal on November 14 at your next City Council meeting.
Sincerely,
Miles Wolff
Commissioner Can-Am Baseball League
And there you have it. Once again, the ball finds itself squarely in the City’s court. The question now is “what will they do with it”? The most probable response will be no response, which should be unacceptable - unacceptable to both baseball fans and taxpayers alike. The City may proffer the defense that their hands are bound until they get formal notice from the Lynx, but as I pointed out yesterday, that excuse just doesn’t fly.
Should the City elect to pass on this offer from the CAN AM League, I think it can be attributed to one of two reasons.
1) City Council will be following direction from their in-house, or their outside legal counsel directing them not to agree to it.
or,
2) City Council will not want to allow the Lynx to mitigate their damages should the City sue them for breaching the operating agreement.
Neither seems very palatable to me. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves here, but should the City elect for excuse #1, it would be a near complete abrogation of their responsibilities. Handing over decisions to un-elected officials is nothing less than a complete dodge, a shirking of duty. Excuse #2 may make tactical legal sense, but is a sell out for the taxpayer and appears petty.
At a minimum, Mr. Wolff deserves an “up or down” vote by Council. As taxpayers, we deserve a public vote, not one held “in camera”, or a reasonable explanation as to why that’s not possible.
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