KANSAS CITY, KS – The Unified Government has granted the Kansas City T-Bones Baseball Team a 30-day extension from being evicted from Just Bats Stadium in the Village West area of Kansas City, Kansas.
The T-Bones were given notice last month that the team would be evicted from the stadium on September 13 at 5pm for not paying past utility bills and other agreed upon payments.
The Unified Government granted the one month extension after the T-Bones paid the Unified Government $50,000 toward the back debts while the team and Association negotiate the sale of the team to new ownership.
“The T-Bones, the American Association of Independent American Baseball, and the Unified Government have been committed to playing the 2020 season and beyond. This agreement with the UG is a good reinforcement of that mutual commitment,” said Joshua Schaub, the Commissioner of the American Association.
The Unified Government owns the stadium and in 2017 reworked the management agreement with the T-Bones in an effort to keep the team in the stadium. Under the agreement, the T-Bones are responsible for paying current utility bills, past due utility bills and past due payments for use of the stadium. The T-Bones failed to make most of those payments.
Team owners have stated they are in the process of selling the team and indicated the back debts could be paid when the sale is confirmed. The extension gives the T-Bones and American Association 30 days to negotiate and complete the sale of the team and payment of the debt. The payment of the $50,000 and extension of the eviction does not relieve the T-Bones organization of paying the remainder of the debt owed.
“The Unified Government looks forward to the sale of the team to new owners and repayment of the debt. More importantly, we look forward to keeping a baseball team in our stadium because we view the team as a community asset and an important part of our successful Village West tourism district,” stated County Administrator Doug Bach.
The 30-day extension runs until October 13 at 5pm.
