Mayor’s comments trigger speculation that Sand Gnats in talks to move | savannahnow.com

Comments made by Columbia, South Carolina’s Mayor Steve Benjamin seem to suggest the Savannah Sand Gnats may be considering a move.

The State newspaper reported Benjamin as saying he was in talks with a minor league baseball owner about moving his team to the city, with the understanding they would be welcomed with a new stadium funded through a public/private partnership.

The mayor told The State he planned to visit a stadium the undisclosed owner has built in the Midwest using the funding model.

Benjamin could not be reached Wednesday for comment.

The Ballpark Digest followed with a piece on Benjamin’s comments, stating the mayor’s not-so-subtle remarks left little doubt he was talking about the Sand Gnats.

Sand Gnats’ owner, Hardball Capital, also owns the Fort Wayne TinCaps. Fort Wayne’s Parkview Field, which opened in 2009, was built using a combination of public and private funding, with the city putting up about $25 million and Hardball investing about $5 million.

Hardball had proposed a similar arrangement last year to Savannah city officials, eyeing the Savannah River Landing site as a potential location for what was estimated to be a $35 million outdoor, multi-use stadium.

via Mayor’s comments trigger speculation that Sand Gnats in talks to move | savannahnow.com.