Behind-the-scenes work apparently has already started as The Diamond readies for Richmond's next professional baseball team. Sources said it will be the Class AA franchise now based in Connecticut.
Those involved with the relocation process have been told by Minor League Baseball and the Eastern League not to comment publicly on the move until it is formally announced, Eastern League President Joe McEacharn said.
Renovation of The Diamond's executive offices will be a priority following an announcement of franchise relocation for next season. McEacharn said yesterday that "the people who we anticipate coming down there are actively involved" in making arrangements for computer service, phone service and other business necessities in The Diamond's front office.
"It is my understanding that there have been some contacts relative to doing some things, carpet, [phone and computer] hook-ups and things like that," said Mike Berry, general manager of the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns and operates The Diamond.
McEacharn reiterated that Richmond's new franchise and its ownership group will be announced by Aug. 1. He chose not to reveal the franchise or ownership team yesterday and said the announcement is "unlikely" this week. "We're closing in," McEacharn said. "We're dotting I's and crossing T's and all that stuff. We don't have anything to announce yet, but we continue to work toward that."
The Connecticut franchise will move to Richmond with Lou DiBella remaining as managing partner, said sources, and with a management team involving Chuck Domino, president of the Class AA Reading franchise (Philadelphia Phillies) and the Class AAA Lehigh Valley franchise (Philadelphia Phillies). Domino, who has worked in professional baseball for 27 years, was Reading's general manager 1988-2006. He won several national awards for franchise management.
Connecticut has been an Eastern League member since 1995. The franchise is contractually bound to be the San Francisco Giants' Class AA affiliate through next season. A local ownership group, Richmond Baseball Club LC, in May failed
to meet the purchase price of $15.4 million for that franchise.
"We will wait for Minor League Baseball to assign the region a team, and then that team will sit down with the RMA and enter into a lease agreement," said James L. Jenkins, chairman of the RMA's board of directors. "Then the process will go forward with an initial refurbishing of The Diamond."
The Diamond's refurbishment would be an upgrade to make it usable for at least the next two seasons. A long-term ballpark solution has not yet been determined. Peter Kirk's Opening Day Partners submitted a $28 million plan for a transformation of The Diamond in early June to city and county officials. Kirk yesterday said he has not heard from those officials.
McEacharn said that Minor League Baseball and the Eastern League have agreed on the franchise to be relocated to Richmond but "there are always a whole bunch of
legal [issues] to work through . . . We have a plan and we're trying to finalize that plan. And we always have contingencies."
Connecticut was one of a few Eastern League franchises that expressed an interest in relocating to Richmond, sources said. Jenkins said seven groups toured The Diamond. That number includes representatives of franchises that were interested in relocation as well as members of potential ownership groups.
