2026-09-09 - Real Estate Committee

00:00provision of the High Times baseball

00:02club regarding league alignment and I

00:05will ask Corey to come up.

00:10>> No,

00:17>> thank you.

00:20>> Y

00:21ready?

00:22>> Good. Thank you.

00:23>> Thank you'all for letting me come by. I

00:25appreciate it. of course had some

00:26conversations with Corey and Deathley

00:29about our situation and our desire to

00:32potentially look at a new direction for

00:34our franchise. You know, it's been 27

00:36years since I've been here and things in

00:40the college baseball world and in all

00:42college sports have changed tremendously

00:44in the last seven months. [laughter]

00:47So things are eventually of course

00:48always evolving. So really, you know,

00:50our question and as you probably have

00:52seen from our information,

00:55we're just asking for the clause in this

00:57contract which says that we have to be

00:59of course in the [snorts] coastal

01:01playing league to be eliminated from our

01:04contract. We feel like with

01:06number one with our brand being around

01:08for 27 years as a summer college

01:11baseball franchise with our brand of

01:14course very successfully achieving a lot

01:16of um [snorts] records in amateur sports

01:19and all different types of events that

01:21we do. We really feel like to be honest

01:24with you, the Coastal Plane League

01:26affiliation is not really of course

01:28returning any investment for us.

01:31[snorts] And it really kind of was

01:32precipitated this spring. And you're

01:34probably saying, "Well, Greg, why didn't

01:35you talk to us in December when we were

01:36negotiating your [laughter] contract?"

01:38Well, some things happened. And the

01:40first thing is

01:42travel. Our travel bill this year in

01:46February went up 35%.

01:50And I'll sort of kind of create a time

01:52frame for you. What what happened in our

01:54league after COVID was everybody here is

01:58probably familiar with the Savannah

02:00Bananas, right? Well, the [snorts]

02:01Savannah Bananas used to be in our

02:03league. I don't know if you know that or

02:05not, some of the members, but they were.

02:07And their best travel partner was Mon

02:09Georgia, the making bacon. [snorts] So,

02:11when Savannah left in 2022, that left a

02:14big void for travel. And unfortunately

02:18the last two years we have been having

02:20to fill that void and there was a 4day

02:24window this year where we had to go to

02:25make Georgia twice but our budget went

02:28up 35% for travel and with the changing

02:32landscapes of college athletics the

02:35players [snorts] they have definitely

02:37voiced their concerns about that much

02:40travel. So, we feel like we need to have

02:42a new direction, a new conference

02:44affiliation, per se, that focuses a lot

02:47more on regionalization. We need to be

02:50playing more in an hour and a half

02:51footprint. The second thing is is with

02:54the odd number of teams now in our

02:55league, which is set at 15, we always

02:58have a weekend where we don't host a CPO

03:01home game. Well, part of the reason that

03:04we pay $30,000 a year to be in the CPL

03:09is for them to give us the schedule

03:11where we can host a home game.

03:14So, of the eight

03:16CPL weekends this year that were on our

03:19calendar, there were three weekends on a

03:22Friday and Saturday, we did not have a

03:25CPO home game.

03:28Well, what's the reason for being in the

03:30league if they can't give you a chance,

03:33of course, to host a game on those

03:35weekends? [snorts]

03:37That was also a big issue. Needless to

03:39say, the schedule has has done that. And

03:41then the last thing is is you've

03:43probably seen the numerous articles with

03:46the changing landscape of what college

03:48athletes want and what they need and our

03:51expenses continue to go up in that

03:53regard. Um, we have not gotten to NIL

03:57money yet in the summer game, but I

04:00envision it coming down the pipeline and

04:03that will be a huge struggle for us um

04:06to be able to have to pay them as well

04:09as house them and provide [snorts] them

04:11with baseball. So, that roster upheaval

04:13has also affected us too. So, all I'm

04:15really asking is we we don't want to

04:16change anything with the contract except

04:18for that clause because that will give

04:20us the flexibility to be much more

04:22regional and let's just be honest, we're

04:25going to be able to control our cost and

04:28that is not what has happened in the

04:30last two to three years. Um, the league

04:32was bought by Capital Broadcasting

04:35roughly four years ago. Good guys, they

04:38own the Durham Bulls. They have run this

04:40more as a corporation compared to the

04:43people who negotiated this deal with the

04:45city of Thomasville in 1999

04:48which was really more baseball focused.

04:50This is more a little bit corporate

04:52focused [snorts] and the expenses are

04:55the expenses. I mean our our umpire bill

04:58this year went up also about 25%.

05:02So, um, those are some areas that we

05:04feel like we need some flexibility with

05:07and that's why we're asking today for

05:09this contract

05:11term to be amended from the contract.

05:13So,

05:14>> Greg, are you looking to join another

05:16league or how will that operate?

05:17>> Yes. So, the the first year we have to

05:19be an independent and that's per my

05:21agreement with the league. That is a

05:23non-compete clause. Could we challenge

05:26that? Sure. Do I want to do that legal

05:29component? I do not. So, we would serve

05:31as an independent. And really, I've been

05:33pushing the league the last three years

05:36to reconsider their models. So, right

05:38now, the league runs on a minor league

05:41baseball model, which means that you

05:43play home sometimes on Tuesdays,

05:45Wednesdays, and Mondays. Well, most of

05:48us probably know that those are not

05:50great attendance nights. The college

05:53baseball model in the spring is

05:55different at UNCC and NC State. They

05:57have home games on Fridays, Saturdays,

05:59and Sundays, which is much more, of

06:01course, fan oriented. And that's the

06:03model we're going to go to. We're going

06:05to go to a model where we're playing

06:06more home games on weekends and much,

06:10much less travel. Because over the last

06:1327 years, because of the success of, to

06:16be perfectly honest with you, the

06:17venture we made 28 years ago, there has

06:20been a smaller market of of summer

06:23college baseball grow. And if everybody

06:25remembers in 2020 the CPL cancelled the

06:29schedule in April. Of course that was

06:31during the pandemic but the High Toms

06:33did not cancel their season. We still

06:36played that year. We played as an

06:38independent and we made it work and we

06:40of course got through that summer and

06:42had a very successful year. And a

06:44footnote from that because of the

06:47support of the city of Thomasville in

06:49that summer and because I think of the

06:51resourcefulness of the high times. Do

06:53you know that six of those kids who

06:55played on that team have now made Major

06:58League Baseball debuts?

07:01Six. That is unprecedented in our

07:04league. So kudos to the people of

07:07Thomasville even during the pandemic

07:09supporting baseball. So that's our plan.

07:13Um Hunter, did I do I think I have

07:17potential aspirations of potentially

07:21going to another league in 2028? Yes,

07:24but right now that is what we have to

07:25follow. That is what we're going to do.

07:27And just to let everybody know also, I I

07:30know a lot of people have different

07:32relationships with sports, but I will

07:34tell you this. When you look at the High

07:37Times portfolio of the most successful

07:40football jamberee in the Triad, just

07:42look at the crowds that East Davidson

07:44and Thomasville [snorts] and Leadford

07:46brought to the event three weeks ago.

07:49You look at the success of the lacrosse

07:51event, which is unparalleled in the

07:53state of North Carolina. Now, you look

07:56at the success of our fall league, which

07:57Corey has supported tremendously to

08:00allow us to do that, and you guys as

08:02well. We are leaders in amateur sports

08:05now. Leaders right here in Thomasville,

08:09and it's all centered at Vengeville. So,

08:11yes, this may seem to some people like,

08:13"Wow, why are you leaving the CPO?" I I

08:15personally think our brand is strong

08:17enough to provide quality baseball on

08:19the field in whatever league that we

08:22have to satisfy the needs of our

08:25citizens in Thomasville.

08:32>> Is your um is your Wilson team leaving

08:36[snorts]

08:37>> is your Wilson team leaving the league

08:40as well?

08:41>> So Wilson took a year off, right? So,

08:43you you probably are aware of what

08:44happened in Wilson. Um, Major League

08:47Baseball came in and built a $75 million

08:49stadium in downtown Wilson. So, we had

08:52to take a one-year sbatical.

08:55We have not played at all this year.

08:58>> Okay. So, so y'all ahead of us, y'all.

09:02>> Well, unfortunately, we had to, not

09:04because we wanted to, but we had to. So,

09:07what we did was is we have now relocated

09:09to Smithfield, North Carolina. We

09:12[snorts] have not played a game yet in

09:13Smithfield. We will stay in the CPL in

09:16Smithfield. Uh the travel is much easier

09:20in the eastern part of the state for the

09:22CPL. [snorts] Um and and we have to take

09:26things one year at a time as we go

09:29through those things. Um I also share

09:32ownership in Wilson. Well, I shouldn't

09:33say Wilson anymore. Smithfield with my

09:35father-in-law. And he feels like right

09:37now that we have to stay in that league.

09:39I think it's best right now for the team

09:41in Smithfield to stay in the CPL.

09:44>> If we

09:45>> challenges everywhere,

09:48>> would

09:48>> Yes, sir.

09:49>> How would you feel if we if we changed

09:51the lease to say instead of having to be

09:54a member of the CPL to change it to one

09:57year of being independent, then joining

09:59another league? Would you be open to

10:01that?

10:01>> Yeah, I'm I'm open to anything. Right.

10:03We we just want to be able to get

10:05through this time, Hunter. Um yeah, when

10:07when you look at the regulations

10:11that unfortunately has happened in the

10:13coastal plane league, we we didn't have

10:15any of these 10 years ago

10:17>> and just the costs continue to go up. So

10:20here's an example. All right, so as

10:22y'all know, we run the American Legion

10:23program in High Point, right?

10:25>> So American Legion baseball, and I'll

10:27even give you the number, it's public

10:28knowledge. When when an American Legion

10:29baseball umpire comes to Finchfield to

10:31umpire, it's $95.

10:34The same umpire will come on a Wednesday

10:36night to do an American Legion game,

10:38come back the next night for a high

10:40times game and it's $200.

10:43Same person.

10:46So, we're we're involved in a contract

10:49and and remember in the CPL they made

10:53the decision against our vote to go to

10:55three umpires.

10:57minor league baseball, if you go to a

10:58Hoppers game tonight or you go to a

11:00Rockers game, they they only have two

11:03umpires, but our league felt like they

11:06needed to go to three. So, I I'm still

11:08on very good speaking terms with the

11:10league office for sure that they we have

11:12had deep discussions about our

11:14situation. They are not surprised. They

11:17know the market contraction that we have

11:20gone through with the growth of the core

11:25with the growth of the rockers that

11:27[snorts] has contracted us over the last

11:29seven years. Right. We we've had some

11:31more challenges. That's why we've grown

11:33in other areas as well. But yes, I'm

11:35fine with that for sure. Absolutely. Is

11:36>> that something council would entertain?

11:38Yes.

11:44>> All right. So, um

11:47I guess do we need to take action on

11:49that, Michael? I guess we need to add it

11:51to the

11:51>> Yeah,

11:53>> y'all amending the

11:55>> Yeah,

11:57>> you'd be amending the contract. So,

11:59yeah, you you need to take action on it.

12:01>> Okay.

12:05I'll make a motion that we move this

12:07item to briefing to amend the contract

12:11uh to allow for one year independent and

12:14then the next year to join a league.

12:19>> I

12:23motion's been approved. Move to briefing

12:27on the meeting.

12:29>> Great. I thank y'all for your time so

12:32much and especially your support. We

12:34have the council and the high times have

12:36had a wonderful relationship for 28

12:39years and it's proven every single night

12:42when we have an event there. So, thank

12:44you for what you do.

12:46>> Have a good day. Appreciate it.

12:50>> Um, now we're down to number three,

12:51additions and updates.

12:55Um, I have one about the young cemetery.

12:59I know Chuck came up and talked earlier

13:01about working with them and having

13:04meetings, but I thought I was in charge

13:06of or helping with that and I haven't

13:11been informed on any meetings or any

13:14>> I didn't know that they were meeting out

13:15there until they did. I'm not sure who's

13:17in charge of doing anything. My

13:20understanding was was

13:22>> Well, I mean, we don't own that. We

13:23don't own that property, right? So, um I

13:27thought it was uh um

13:29>> Joe is Megan Anderson. Yes, Megan

13:32Anderson was involved in it because

13:34that's the last I heard was that she was

13:36interested in in doing it. Were that was

13:39she involved with

13:41>> Joe to our

13:52apologies for speaking. Uh Joe Gray

13:54showed up at our historic preservation

13:56meeting uh two or three months ago and

13:59uh shared that he's been in as one of

14:01his uh projects for his business. They

14:03give back to the community and so he

14:06requested that we uh he's going to

14:09schedule meeting with the young family

14:10to meet here at the aquatic center. we

14:12have met two months in a row and uh he

14:15wanted uh the chairperson and I be a

14:16part of this meeting and as we uh see

14:19what uh try to figure out what if

14:22veterans are there or not he like I said

14:24want to recognize the Buffalo soldiers

14:26the veterans as well and and then also

14:29we're Jill is checking in with the state

14:30to see what uh assistance we could get

14:33from the the state historic preservation

14:36office to recognize African-American

14:38cemetery and basically they want us to

14:41document anything we again to submit to

14:43them. Uh and we're trying to find uh any

14:47information of people that's listed at

14:49this cemetery that are buried there. And

14:51we last night at our meeting we come

14:53conclusion that there is information at

14:55our public library in the historic room

14:58maybe 130 names of people out there. Uh

15:00but Joe Graves really one heading up

15:02this project and asked the people of

15:04historic preservation to be a part of

15:06it. And then as uh he didn't want to get

15:08too many people involved right yet till

15:11we figure out a plan. Once we get a plan

15:13together, then we'll start bringing in

15:15other organizations and possibly to

15:18Holly Hills Cemetery and so forth to

15:20assist. Right now, we got to try to

15:21figure out how to access the property.

15:24Right now the housing authority and they

15:26really don't want people coming through

15:27their property to get to this site and

15:30we have looked at the church above. The

15:32train is just not adequate to get there,

15:35creating a path down to it. Uh it's not

15:38adequate coming from Joe uh Deb Young's

15:41property because the bridge was washed

15:43out by Hugo uh back in whenever that was

15:46now. Uh that you crossing the flood

15:48plane. So you have to get the Army Corps

15:50engineer to get that road put back in.

15:52Um then they mentioned coming behind the

15:54radio station. There was a easement

15:56there uh the sewer easement. So, we're

15:59looking at variety of ways trying to get

16:01to the property because it's going to

16:02take heavy equipment to get in there and

16:04start cutting the trees and removing.

16:06Uh, it's it it's going to be major.

16:08>> I'm not sure where it's going to go.

16:10>> I guess what are what are they asking

16:12from the city right now? Just to help

16:13document and look

16:14>> document right now. That's all they're

16:17asking.

16:19>> Perfect.

16:20>> Working through historic preservation.

16:22>> Yes. Yes. Yes.

16:24>> That would be a function of that

16:26committee.

16:27>> Yes.

16:28Right. Yes.

16:30>> They do things with private property.

16:32>> Yes.

16:34>> Yes. And that's where Joe come to us and

16:36ask if we assist and that's what we've

16:38been doing assistant

16:40>> and it's able I'm unable to upload my

16:43pictures to our computer because

16:44security purposes. So I got to figure

16:46that out and uh then get that

16:48information show and then hopefully we

16:49get a presentation put together and

16:51bring back to you at a later date.

16:53>> Okay. Great. Thank you.

16:54>> Thank you. Thank you for that update,

16:55Chuck. But the the intent is that this

16:58is staying a private cemetery. The

17:00city's not taking this on as a project.

17:03So I want to be clear on that [laughter]

17:06unless because we don't own the property

17:08and that's not our area. Um so okay,

17:14>> are there any other updates or

17:16additions?

17:19Did

17:19>> you want to talk about that?

17:21>> Okay. Um can I get a motion to adjurnn?

17:24>> So moved. Second.

17:28>> And we're turned.

17:37>> Yeah.

17:40>> A break for lunch. All right.