On Thursday the Lubbock City Council will consider a proposal “for the planning, acquisition, establishment, development and construction of a Sports and Community Venue Project.”
City staff referred questions to former City Councilman David Nelson. Nelson then issued a statement entitled “Authorized Statement of David Nelson to News Media.”
It said, “Due to our agreement with Minor League Baseball, I cannot make any comment about the possibility of relocating a minor league baseball club to Lubbock at this point in time. Thank you for your patience and understanding in this endeavor.”
The City Council agenda said the city must submit documents to Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for permission to ultimately put the issue up for election for Lubbock voters.
A reporter with EverythingLubbock.com contacted Mayor Dan Pope who expressed concern about the item and said he wasn’t ready to support it yet.
“I think we’re a long way from that, Pope said about the possibility of a minor league team relocating to Lubbock. “I have had no meetings with representatives from Minor League Baseball teams.”
Pope said a 2 percent increase in the hotel/motel tax would be a possible funding source.
But what’s the cost? The Mayor did not know and public records did not provide an answer.
It just so happens, Amarillo is competing for a minor league team.
In April, myhighplains.com reported, “The President of the [San Antonio] Missions, Burl Yarbrough, confirmed that Amarillo is one of three cities they’re looking at for possible relocation.”
Last year, Amarillo voters approved $32 million for a MPEV or Multipurpose Event Venue.
No team is specifically associated with the Lubbock proposal in any public statement or public records.
When asked about the potential project, Texas Tech President Dr. Lawrence Schovanec said he was not up to speed, but explained he did not predict an issue with the proposal interfering with the university.
“I don’t see that competing with intercollegiate sports. It’d probably be a summer event, our baseball teams play in the spring,” Schovanec said.
“I think we need to know the plan, we need the chance to ask questions about it, to vet it, we need to know the location, there needs to be discussions with Texas Tech, there needs to be discussions with the College Baseball Hall of Fame, there needs to be discussions with the hotel/motel operators,” Pope said.
“There are a lot of things that haven’t happened before we go down this path,” he explained.
