by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
According to City officials, the latest round of contract negotiations with the Jacksonville Suns regarding the lease of the new ball park went well.
“We understand it was a very productive meeting,” said Sam Mousa, the City’s chief administrative officer. “We anticipate coming to finality in the very near future.”
At this point there are only a couple of issues delaying an agreement. The Suns have conceded that both their rent and ticket prices will have to increase, but they are adamant about maintaining control over advertising revenues and concessions. Should a lengthy stalemate develop, history may repeat itself.
In 1968, Jacksonville’s minor league franchise was an affiliate of the New York Mets. The parent club wanted the City to upgrade Wolfson Park. The City declined and Jacksonville went without a team in 1969.
The situation is a little different today, but the outcome may be the same. If an agreement between the Suns and the City can’t be reached — the sides met for several hours Wednesday and are scheduled to meet again next week — not only will the Suns not play in the brand new, 10,000-seat, $34 million ball park, but the park just may sit idle for a year until a new tenant can be found.
At the crux of the situation is money: everything from rent to ticket prices to concessions and who controls the sales and revenues. Mayor John Delaney has said the situation isn’t dire, but it’s no secret the City wants to tear down Wolfson Park as soon as possible to make way for more parking in the sports complex area. However, Suns owner and general manager, Peter Bragan Jr., has a different perspective.
“If it’s not the eleventh hour then I’m a monkey’s uncle,” said Bragan, referring to a comment Delaney made Tuesday. “People are calling me and asking me about billboards for next year. I can’t tell them anything yet.”
If the Suns and the City can’t reach an accord, it’s possible the City would pursue a Triple A ball club. However, minor league baseball rules make that much tougher than simply evicting an unwelcome tenant. According to Bragan, any Triple A club wishing to play in Jacksonville would have to draft the territory away from the Southern League. And that wouldn’t be easy.
“Minor league baseball would supervise a hearing and they would have to pay pretty good,”said Bragan, declining to divulge a dollar amount. “The first thing they [the Southern League] would say is, ‘Go talk to the Bragans.’ It’s a pretty complicated process.”
Jim Ferguson, director of media for minor league baseball, seconded Bragan, saying it’s not impossible, but very improbable that a Triple A team would move into an area already occupied by a Double A club.
“They would have to compensate the team involved and the league involved. They would have to pay the Southern League as well as the Suns,” said Ferguson, who’s offices are in St. Petersburg. “The compensation is whatever can be worked out.”
Ferguson said another option the City could consider is simply buying its own team and relocating them to Jacksonville. The ownership issue would be solved, but the Suns would still have to be compensated.
“But,” said Ferguson, “you have to get permission from the league you are buying into, you have to be approved by the Southern League office and the Major League Baseball commissioner’s office. It does get quite involved.”
Historically, minor league baseball teams relocate less often than National Hockey League franchises, and the process of moving a hockey club actually seems easier. Ferguson said he could not remember the last time a higher level club took over an area occupied by a lower division club that didn’t coincide with a Major League expansion.
If Jacksonville is to ever get a Triple A club, membership in the International League would the most logical choice. However, that won’t be easy either. According to International League president Randy Mobley, the league only has one team looking to relocate and it won’t be for the 2003 season.
“I can’t comment specifically on Jacksonville’s situation, but we have recently announced that the Ottawa, Canada club will explore options for a possible relocation,” said Mobley. “That club will be in Ottawa next year and they will explore their options after that.”
Like Mousa, Bragan is hopeful a resolution can be reached. Neither side wants any part of an empty ball park next year, but Bragan still believes elements of the new lease will make it difficult for his club to turn a profit. Mousa has indicated the latest offer splits the City’s costs and potential revenues right down the middle.
“I would say the mayor’s desire to break even and the figures they are showing us as costs or expenses are the biggest sticking point,” said Bragan. “I think there’s a lot of feather dusting in there. There are some ridiculous figures in there. I don’t think I’ll get a lease that I’m 100 percent happy with. I just want one I can live with.”
Mousa declined to speculate on the City’s recourse if an agreement can’t be reached.
“I think an agreement will be worked out. We do not want to talk about that now,” said Mousa, referring to what may happen should negotiations remain at an impasse for a long period of time. “In negotiations, you can take two positions. One, the position of: let’s not get this worked out. Or, let’s get this worked out and that’s our position and we think it will get here soon.”
Bragan said it’s imperative the deal get done soon because he starts looking at the next season virtually the day after the current season ends through ticket drives and sponsorships.
“Tickets to minor league baseball do not sell like hot cakes,” he said. “I need to start looking for potential sponsors. They should have had this deal done last spring or last September.”