Restructured financial agreements finalized for baseball stadium

The Reno City Council approved restructuring the financial agreements related to the Baseball Stadium Project. The vote was 5 to 2 with Council Members Brekhus and Schieve opposing.

With the restructured agreements the City of Reno is responsible for financing one-third of the $55 million dollar debt while the developer is responsible for refinancing the remaining balance.

Below are some facts regarding the restructured agreements:• Provides a personal guaranty by the developer that was not included in the original agreement.• The Fire Station Loan will be paid-off in 5 years rather than 10 years.

• The baseball team will remain in Reno for 30 years. In the original agreement the baseball team could leave after 15 years.

• The City will have more flexibility to hold special events at the Stadium.

• If baseball moves for any reason prior to 30 years, the City gets the stadium free and clear without any liens and the City has no obligation to make any further support payments. This means the City would get a $58 million stadium if team leaves early.

• If naming rights are sold for more than $300,000 per year the City would receive a 10% credit against the Support Payments to be made by City each year.

• The Stadium Authority, Redevelopment Agency, and City will own the stadium and land. In the original agreement, after 20 years (2027), Nevada Land would have owned both the stadium and land.

• The Developer releases any development rights or claims related to the first floor of the National Bowling Stadium (under the Retail DDA), and the RTC (under the Retail DDA).

• The capital improvement clause mandates that the developer shall operate, maintain, manage, make and pay for all necessary capital improvements ensuring that when the City of Reno gets the stadium after 30 years it will well-kept.

Due to the economic downturn affecting the incentives for the Baseball Stadium Project (Redevelopment Property Tax Increments) that were designated for financing the construction and operation of the baseball stadium, the developer and operator of the stadium, Nevada Land, LLC and SK Baseball, asked the Reno City Council, the Redevelopment Agency Board, and the Washoe County Commissioners to restructure the agreements. At a future Washoe County meeting, SK Baseball and Nevada Land, LLC will be asking Washoe County Commissioners to support the Baseball Stadium Project with funding.