Gary, RailCats ballpark renegotiating maintenance costs
By Michelle L. Quinn Post-Tribune correspondent February 26, 2013 11:46PM
Updated: March 2, 2013 1:05PM
GARY — Though trying to negotiate a lesser payment for maintenance costs at the U.S. Steel Yard, home of the minor league baseball RailCats, the city has fallen behind on its payments for its upkeep.
The city paid out only $30,000 of the $200,000 in maintenance fees the stadium charged the city in 2012, Controller Celita Green told the Finance Committee at its Tuesday night meeting. Negotiations between the city and the stadium over the master agreement between the two stopped the payments until the contract is renegotiated, she said.
As it stands now, the stadium makes a $150,000 lease payment year to the city, but the city is responsible for a $150,000 maintenance contract for its upkeep. The Common Council has approved the $150,000 maintenance contract each of the last several years.
Councilwoman Marilyn Krusas, D-1, asked Green whether the Tax Increment Financing District could cover the rest of the bills from 2012, including the $57,000 cleaning contract separate from the maintenance contract. Green said it could, but that expense would have to come before the Redevelopment Commission.
“Can you get them to hurry up so we can get these bills from last year paid?” Krusas said.
The Common Council will take up the ordinance at its 6 p.m. Tuesday night meeting in Council Chambers.
