GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Greenville’s City Council on Monday took the first step to bring a summer collegiate baseball team to Guy Smith Stadium.

Council members voted 5-0 to approve a letter of intent to move forward with hosting a Coastal Plain League baseball team that will play at Guy Smith Stadium.

Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc., a company that operates television and radio stations in North Carolina and also owns the Durham Bulls in Minor League Baseball, is interested in bringing a Coastal Plain League baseball team to Greenville, according to documents included in Monday’s meeting agenda. College baseball players from around the country play in the CPL every summer.

The CPL includes 14 franchises located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. Nearby CPL franchises include the Wilson Tobs, Morehead City Marlins and Wilmington Sharks. CBC owns the league, and, according to its proposal, would directly own the Greenville team.

The proposed team would start playing in 2024 and would play approximately 30-32 summer baseball games at Guy Smith Stadium. The season would start in late May and run through early August.

Details about the proposed franchise and stadium lease are listed in the agenda documents below.

Proposed-CPL-team-agenda-docsDownload

Here are some notable points listed in the proposal:

  • The city would lease to Capitol Broadcasting Company the use of the stadium between May 15 and Sept. 30 of each year for a 10-year period beginning May 15, 2024, for the shared use of the stadium with the City and the Pitt County Babe Ruth League (Babe Ruth). The lease would include an option to extend the lease for an additional five years at the end of the 10-year period at mutually agreeable terms.
  • CBC would lease the stadium from the city at an initial annual rent rate of $30,000, payable in full on May 15 of each year during the term of the lease. After the initial year, the lease rate would increase by 2% each year for the remaining term of the lease.
  • CBC would initially commit $500,000 for improvements and renovations to the stadium. The city would match that contribution. The city’s contribution of $500,000 would be funded through the CVA Capital Fund. The initial improvements and renovations funded in partnership between the City and CBC would need to be completed prior to April 1, 2024.
  • CBC would have the exclusive rights to set ticket, food and beverage, retail, and parking prices, as it deems appropriate, for all of its events, including CBC home games and would be entitled to receive and retain all revenues from ticket, food and beverage, retail, and parking sales.
  • The CBC would be able to make “minor alterations” at its own expense to the stadium with the city’s written preapproval.
  • The city would be responsible for all routine maintenance and upkeep of the stadium.
  • CBC would need to provide security at all of the events it holds at the stadium.
  • CBC would need to obtain an alcoholic beverage license from the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission in order to sell and consume malt beverages, wine, fortified wine or alcohol at the stadium during games, non-youth events or non-youth activities held or promoted by the League at the stadium. Alcoholic beverages would not be allowed to be sold or consumed at youth events or activities held or promoted by the League at the stadium. Youth events and youth activities are defined in the proposal as events or activities intended for youth ages 17 and under.