Golden Baseball League announces expansion team in Reno, Nevada
Published on October 20, 2005 under Golden Baseball League (GBL) News Release
Pleasanton, CA: The Golden Baseball League announced today that it has finalized business negotiations with the University of Nevada to field a professional baseball team at Peccole Park, beginning in the League's 2006 season. The lease agreement with the University will be the eighth facility agreement for the GBL and the fourth with a major collegiate organization.
The team will be the League's first franchise in the State of Nevada.
The new team will be called the Silver Sox, the same name used for over 40 years by minor league teams playing out of Moana Stadium. Reno Vice-Mayor and City Councilman Dwight Dortch has been named as the General Manager of the team. As General Manager, Dortch will oversee the launch and all day-to-day operations of the ballclub.
Dortch grew up in Reno, graduating from Wooster High School and the University of Nevada, Reno. He has served on the city council for three years, and has entrepreneurial experience founding Dwight Dortch Investments in 2001. He is the past Chairman of the City Planning Commission and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.
"We are very excited to add Reno as a member of the Golden League for our 2006 season. Its tremendous growth in families and businesses makes it an ideal market for us," said Amit Patel, League President and co-founder. "Peccole Park is one of the premier baseball venues in the country. The University has a tremendous baseball program, and we are looking forward to working together as we create the next chapter in Reno's rich baseball history. We are also thrilled to bring Dwight on board to run the team. He has a tremendous track record as a business and community leader in Reno. We could not have imagined finding a more capable manager with deeper civic ties."
As part of the two sides' agreement, the Golden Baseball League will finance the installation of field lighting at Peccole Park and will also partner on long-term funding for the new synthetic field turf project as well. Once the two projects are complete, the University will be well positioned to be chosen as the host site for future WAC conference baseball tournaments as well as NCAA postseason opportunities.
"Our University is tremendously excited about becoming the home of the Silver Sox and partnering with the Golden Baseball League to bring important new family entertainment and the thrill of baseball to northern Nevada," said John Lilley, president of the University of Nevada, Reno. "We're proud to be selected, and we're looking forward to working with the City of Reno and area baseball coaches, students and fans to bring thousands of families to our beautiful campus each summer to experience great baseball."
Dortch added, "Reno deserves professional baseball. It's been gone for too long. I'm pleased to be part of the return of the Silver Sox, thrilled to be working with my alma mater, and am proud to announce our first launch partner from the local business community. Bill Pearce Motors has been a community stalwart for many years and is very excited to help bring affordable family entertainment to the citizens of northern Nevada."
Reno Mayor Bob Cashell underscored the importance of the economic impact the new baseball program would bring to the area: "Today's announcement is another example of the University and the City working closely together to drive millions of dollars worth of positive economic growth to our area, while improving the quality of life for our residents. The Center for Economic Development at the Chico Research Foundation recently completed an economic impact analysis which found that the total local economic impact of the Golden Baseball League's Chico Outlaws was $4.6 million during the 2005 calendar year alone."
And Nevada Athletics Director Cary Groth noted the program would provide "an important boost for our own baseball program, which has been so successful under the leadership of Coach Gary Powers. Looking at the GBL rosters, I recognize many people with stellar NCAA careers, and we look forward to the Silver Sox being yet another route to the majors for our best Wolf Pack athletes."
The Golden Baseball League has quickly become one of the premier independent leagues in the country. Over 450,000 fans came out to GBL ballparks and watched as the San Diego Surf Dawgs, with centerfielder Rickey Henderson, captured the league's inaugural title. The league's rosters included 18 ex-major leaguers, and over 150 ballplayers with Single-A, Double-A, and Triple-A experience. Of those players, sixteen were purchased by major league organizations. The league was also home to several players with Nevada ties, including Las Vegas native and UNLV pitcher David Seccombe who was sold to the New York Yankees in mid-season and went on to become the top pitcher in the New York - Penn League. Reno native and former Galena High School star Josh Green finished second in the GBL Rookie of the Year voting after an outstanding season as a starting outfielder for the Surprise Fightin' Falcons.
The final step in the partnership is formal approval from the Board of Regents at their next meeting.
Fans can immediately participate in the excitement of the Silver Sox and purchase season tickets at www.silversoxbaseball.com or by calling 775-348-RSOX (7769).
Golden Baseball League Stories from October 20, 2005
- Professional Baseball Coming to Reno - Reno Silver Sox
- Golden Baseball League announces expansion team in Reno, Nevada - GBL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
