Yesterday, I mentioned that it appeared West Chester was on the verge of announcing it would soon be home to a new baseball team. Today, it seems this was a bit of an overstatement by the group trying to bring the team into the area. 6 ABC reports:
Today's Daily Local has this to say:
It was expected on Monday that stadium backers would announce they had a "gentleman's agreement" with the Phillies to put a minor league franchise here. However, a Phillies spokesperson threw cold water on that today saying that was "An overstatement about what was discussed."
Howie Bedell, a consultant for the stadium group, backed off the agreement claim, instead saying "If we are able to put all of the elements together they would be interested in putting a ball club here."
Bedell, a former major leaguer with ties to the Phils farm league, admits there are still many unfinished elements to turn this acreage into a stadium - not the least of which is $20 million in taxpayer money from Harrisburg. Also, they still need actual control of the land. Still, he remains upbeat.
Today's Daily Local has this to say:
“It is my understanding that if we are able to put all of the elements together, (the Phillies) would be interested in putting a ballclub here,” said Bedell, who stressed that the incoming club would be responsible for maintenance of the new facility.
“There was a statement made, directly, that if indeed we are ready now, that they would be there. And the Phillies would be a good fit. It would be good for them and good for us.”
Bedell called the Wyeth site, now owned by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, “the last 30 acres in West Chester.” He also said that the Turk’s Head Alliance has had meetings with Pfizer and that they are cooperating 100 percent.
“We have until the end of December to get this done,” he said.
The fate of this project may be known in about three months, but everything is very much up in the air right now.
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