Work to bring an Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) team to Chatham continues between the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and the proponent.
Mayor Darrin Canniff said his municipal team is trying to iron out some of the details before the proposal goes to council for approval.
Canniff said he's personally excited about the team establishing roots in Chatham and it wouldn't be a stretch to help the team in some way. Mayor Canniff said part of the discussion is determining what the proponent needs to bring the team to Chatham and if it will cost taxpayers any money.
IBL Commissioner John Kastner has said there are a few things to address, such as upgrading the lights at Fergie Jenkins Field, before the league gives its blessing.
"Certainly that's going to be part of the discussion as far as the cost of bringing the team there. If it was free and it didn't cost the municipality anything then it would be a real easy decision to say come on in," said the mayor. "We help out other sports organizations in the community and we look at extending that same type of support to other organizations who want to come to Chatham-Kent," Canniff said.
There's no date yet for the issue to go before council.
The mayor said talks between the municipality and the individual began before the pandemic but COVID-19 put things on hold.
Commissioner Kastner said the calibre of play in the league is at its highest in decades.
The Intercounty Baseball League boasts former professional and elite NCAA college baseball players. More than 40 Intercounty Baseball League players have advanced to Major League Baseball (MLB) or returned to the IBL following their MLB careers, including Fergie Jenkins of Chatham, John Axford, Chris Leroux, Scott Diamond, Peter Orr, Paul Spoljaric, Rich Butler, Rob Butler, and Rob Ducey.
