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| Photo Credit;AARoads.com |
Of Course,when you consider the do nothing mayor and his city council,I wouldn't want to bet on Hagerstown doing anything with a potential opportunity,but suddenly Diamond Nation wants an 18 million dollar handout from our good friends in Fredericksburg to fill an "unanticipated" cost overrun.
As in the difference of the original 35 million to the now needed 53 million.
These things usually happen when you have these type of massive projects,but I've thought from day one that the Diamond Nation part of the project was built on a foundation of sand and suddenly a project that would "pay for itself" is shortly followed by a request for funds.
I would not say that baseball in Hagerstown is looking good for the long term (vote the bums out in 2016!),but Fredericksburg is looking shakier by the day with their various delays in purchasing the land,Diamond Nation's hey buddy can you spare a dime bumming and the citizens there beginning to turn on the project.
Meanwhile for Suns owner Bruce Quinn,he has to wonder what his move would be if Fredericksburg balks at the cash request.
Owning a team that is hemorrhaging money ( my guess is that the Suns will lose at least a million dollars this season,if not two million) after attendance sunk lower by the announcement that the team was leaving,higher expenses to play at and maintain the Muni for the 2015 season and now with the possibility of the Bahamas of the Mid-Atlantic bailing out combined with the South Atlantic League not allowing him to move south of the Virginia state line,Quinn could be facing a dearth of suitors and a upcoming cash crunch that could see him reevaluating just how much he wants to stay in the baseball business.
Which brings us to the dream scenario to keep the team in Hagerstown.
First,Fredericksburg and/or Diamond Nation has to walk.
Whether Fredericksburg throws in the towel like Winchester did or Diamond Nation realizes that this won't be the revenue flood that they expected once they have to pay their own way,one of those HAS to happen in order for this scenario to occur.
Next,Bruce Quinn may have to sell the team.
Quinn's name is poison here in Hagerstown and anything done to keep baseball here (new stadium or not) will not occur as long as the people that run the city will have to deal with Bruce Quinn.
I'm not taking sides here,the town has handled this thing poorly as well and has just as much fault,but the fact is the differences are too deep and irreconcilable for anything involving Quinn and the city to get done-at least until ...
2016.
If Fredericksburg cannot get off the ground and have things at least started,Quinn will be stuck in a spot of having to continue to play in Hagerstown.
With having to deal with the limited area of which to move the team to and with so many teams controlling their 50 mile radius,the team may have no choice,but to stay for a spell.
2016 also brings elections for mayor and city council and with the right results-Goodbye to Dave Gysberts as mayor and especially Kristin (let's build a youth sports complex in a town with 50 little league baseball and soccer fields already here) Aleshire and Penny Nigh off the city council,perhaps some forward thinking candidates could sit down with Bruce Quinn or however and figure out a way to get this thing done!
Electing new council members and most importantly getting rid of those two cranks is of the utmost importance,perhaps a new vision could save the day if the opportunity arises...
It's all still a bunch of wishing and hoping,but I think the chances of hitting that half court shot are improved over what they were when this season began.,
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