Luzerne County, Lackawanna County Legal Battle Not Over

We never heard that Lackawanna County and Luzerne County ever settled their dispute over the sale of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees to Mandalay Baseball Properties and the New York Yankees, but we assumed it was still hanging out there.  Well, indeed it is, as Luzerne has just hired a Pittsburgh law firm to represent them in legal action against the neighboring county.  Read more here.

New Giant Video Board to Add to Fan Experience

Consistent with other new ballparks, expect the video board at the rebuilt PNC Field, home of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, to wow fans.  Lackawanna County has issued an RFP for a scoreboard package calling for a “26-foot by 40-foot video board and a roughly 6-foot-tall LED digital display board that will stretch between 150 and 190 feet along the right field wall.”  Read more here

SWB Yankees Sold, PNC Field Demolition to Begin Soon

Lackawanna County signed off on a deal Thursday to finally sell the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankess (International League) to the New York Yankees and Mandalay Baseball Properties for $14.6 million.  A dispute between Lackawanna and Luzerne County over the proceeds remains at issue.  Read more here.  View purchase agreement here.  Now it’s time to push the pedal to the metal to demolish and replace PNC Field, which could begin Friday.  Read more here.

Deal Close for SWB Yankees

A deal to keep the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (International League) in Northeastern Pennsyvania for the next 30 years in a rebuilt PNC Field could be signed as early as Thursday.  The final agreement is expected to be presented to the Lackawanna County Commissioners and the Multi-Purpose Stadium Authority on Wednesday night.  Read more here.

Negotiations Not Yet Done for Sale of SWB Yankees

Lackawanna County (PA) is still in negotiations to sell the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (International League) to SWB Yankees LLC, a joint venture between Mandalay Baseball Properties and the New York Yankees.  Concerns have been raised by some that time is running very short, as demolition of PNC Field needs to begin soon in order for a new ballpark to be built in time for the club’s

Design Work Halted on SWB Yankees Ballpark

Lackawanna County (PA) has put a hold on the design work being done for the new stadium for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, until the New York Yankees and Mandalay Baseball Properties, which are expected to buy the team pursuant to a memorandum of understanding signed in 2010, step up to the plate to finalize a deal for the stadium construction and lease.  Read more here.

Lackawanna Gets Extension, Commissioner Wants Guarantee from NY Yankees

The State of Pennsylvania has given Lackawanna County a one-year extension to raise the matching funds necessary to receive a $20 million state grant to build a new ballpark for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (International League).  In related news, outgoing Lackawanna County Commissioner Mike Washo would like to see the New York Yankees guarantee annual lease payments

Deadline Approaches for $20M Ballpark Grant

In order to receive a $20 million grant awarded by the State of Pennsylvania to renovate PNC Field, home of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (International League), Lackawanna County has until Dec. 6 to sell the team.  The sale of the franchise is necessary to raise the required matching funds for the $40 million project.  Don’t fret though, as a deadline extension appears

Contract Law Expert: Luzerne Entitled to Half

According to a four-page legal opinion released at a press conference yesterday, Luzerne County is entitled to half of the proceeds (approximately $7 million) from any sale of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (International League).  The opinion was written by Dr. John E. Murray Jr., chancellor of Duquesne University and a leading authority on the law of contracts.  Looks like the

Judge Rules Against Luzerne County

Senior Judge Harold Thomson has issued an order that grants Lackawanna County’s preliminary objection to Luzerne County’s claim that it’s entitled to half the proceeds from any sale of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.  Apparently, the only evidence Luzerne County submitted to bolster its claim was a September 1986 memorandum of agreement that included language about

A Plea to Luzerne County

In an opinion piece by The Time Leaders’ Paul Sokoloski, the case is made for Luzerne County to amend its complaint against Lackawanna County to prevent to sale of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.  It is Sokoloski’s belief that it is the only way to ensure Triple-A ball remains in the area.  Read more here.

County vs. County: Fight Continues Over SWB Yankees

We would love to review all the documents in the legal battle between Lackawanna County and Luzerne County over the rights to profits from the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.  The fight is getting uglier, as commissioners on both sides are lashing out.  Our guess is that we won’t see any economic development cooperation between these two counties again in a very long time.

Luzerne County Lawsuit Could Jeopardize Ballpark Funds

Luzerne County has filed a lawsuit against Lackawanna County and the Lackawanna County Multi-Purpose Stadium Authority claiming entitlement to half the “gross proceeds” from any sale of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.  This could throw a wrench into a potential $20 million grant from the state that requires local matching funds that would come from the sale of the team.  Mandalay