Left In Lowell

Update: The Sun is reporting on its website that DSF Sports withdrew its bid. I do not know if Webber automatically wins the bid as is or will negotiations now begin. At the end of the day the City Council has the final say, so let’s see what happens. I am leaving my post written before this announcement as is. By the way, the explanation that the withdrawal was done out of courtesy sounds a bit hollow. If he wanted to be courteous, he should not have submitted a bid.

Jenn Myers did an excellent job in detailing the issues surrounding the LeLacheur Park RFP. If you have not read the article in the Sun, here is the link. If you are at all interested in the cultural, economic, social or political life of this City, this article is a must read. It is a good primer for the debate that has now begun in private and will continue in public, first with the Stadium and Arena Commission and then on the floor of the City Council.

There is also a good sidebar that appeared in yesterday’s edition which summarizes the details of the two bids, one from the Spinners’ organization and the other one from a business rival, ex-partner of the Spinners’ ownership. Great what we needed more drama!

The Spinners want a 10 year lease; they will pay the City $150,000/year and $50,000/year for Capital Improvement. The park will be used exclusively for minor league baseball. Ten years is a long time for a contract, don’t you think? The other group, DSF Sports, LLC wants a 3 year lease; $105,000 and a plan to have all kinds of other events (concerts, festivals, ec…) that would generate income, a portion of which would be given to the City.

Last week on WCAP during his weekly Q&A, CM Bernie Lynch had mentioned that he wanted this whole process to be public. I hope the autonomous Arena Commission shares his views. I am not a baseball fan but the ballpark for me, as it is for most Lowellian, is a quality of life issue: it makes Lowell a better place but it would be helpful if we did not have to subsidize it.

The owner of the Spinners, Drew Webber, has a lot of friends and supporters in this town and of course a track record, so I think he has the inside edge but we should not get sentimental about this decision. In my opinion, that is how we got in trouble with the Devils/Lockmonster contract.

I think I will need a guide book to understand all of the machinations that have already started. As Betty Davis said in the film All About Eve, “Fasten your seatbelts, it is going to be a bumpy ride.”