The application was being reviewed Friday by the league's team owners for approval.
"It will be reviewed for any clarifications or additional information (sought by league owners)," said Eric Krupa, president of the South Atlantic League, the current home of the Catfish.
It's unknown how long the process to get league approval could take ... "We don't know what questions will be asked," Krupa said.
On Feb. 8, Solomon exercised an option to purchase the Class A Catfish, with the intent to relocate the team to Bowling Green for the 2009 season. The team would play in the 4,000-seat ballpark that's the centerpiece of a $250 million downtown redevelopment project.
As a baseball fan, I've enjoyed the fact that we have a minor league team here in the area. The Coumbus Catfish moved here (under the name "South Georgia Waves") in 2003, after the Columbus RedStixx moved to Eastlake, Ohio, and became the Lake County Captains.
The RedStixx came into being in 1991 (as the Columbus Indians) when the South Atlantic League put a team here during their expansion.
And the RedStixx took over from the Columbus Mudcats (nee Astros) who left for Zebulon, North Carolina after the 1990 season and become the Carolina Mudcats.
The Columbus White Sox/Astros/Mudcats had been in town since 1969, filling a stadium that had been empty since 1966, when the Columbus Confederate Yankees left town.
Will there be no baseball here next year?
Maybe. Maybe not. The Ledger-Enquirer reported last month that the South Coast League would like to place a team here if there's an opening.
There will, in all likelihood, be an opening.
Bowling Green Daily News story follows:
Acquisition of minor league baseball team moving along
WES SWIETEK, The Daily News, wswietek@bgdailynews.com
Published: March 9, 2008
An official application by investor Art Solomon to purchase the Columbus (Ga.) Catfish as the first step in moving the minor league baseball team to Bowling Green was received by South Atlantic League officials last week.
The application was being reviewed Friday by the league's team owners for approval.
"It will be reviewed for any clarifications or additional information (sought by league owners)," said Eric Krupa, president of the South Atlantic League, the current home of the Catfish.
It's unknown how long the process to get league approval could take ... "We don't know what questions will be asked," Krupa said.
On Feb. 8, Solomon exercised an option to purchase the Class A Catfish, with the intent to relocate the team to Bowling Green for the 2009 season. The team would play in the 4,000-seat ballpark that's the centerpiece of a $250 million downtown redevelopment project.
Solomon did not return calls seeking comment this week.
If the ownership transfer is approved by the league owners, it would then go to Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball for approval.
A separate application process to move the team to Bowling Green would then be needed.
"It's a different application, it just goes through the same pipeline," Krupa said.
Solomon already owns Class AA New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League.
The Catfish, currently owned by David Heller, have played in the 16-team South Atlantic League ... the second-lowest level of Major League Baseball affiliates ... since 2003. Most of the current SAL teams are clustered in Georgia and the Carolinas; the Lexington Legends are the closest SAL team to Bowling Green.
Last year, the Catfish switched affiliations from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The franchise has struggled with attendance and other issues in Columbus. The team once withheld $32,000 in rent payments to the city because of concerns about the condition of city-owned Golden Park, where the Catfish play.
The Catfish's lease with the city of Columbus expires after the 2008 season.
Solomon's agreement with the Warren County Downtown Economic Development Authority doesn't specify which team will play here ... only that he'll bring a Class A franchise to Bowling Green for the start of the 2009 season and keep it here for at least 20 years.
"That's my commitment, and that will happen," Solomon has said.
Copyright 2008 News Publishing LLC (Bowling Green, KY)
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