Wednesday, August 15, 2001
[ PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL ]
Group wants The sale of the Tacoma (Wash.) Rainiers took a new twist last week when another group expressed an interest in purchasing the Pacific Coast League team.
to keep AAA team
in Tacoma
Hawaii is also being
considered as host of the
minor league baseball clubBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comThe News Tribune in Tacoma reported last week that a Tacoma group had expressed interest in purchasing the Rainiers and keeping the team there.
"All I can say right now is that there's a local group with some very credible names that have shown genuine interest in buying the team," Tacoma mayor Mike Crowley said in the story.
"I really don't have any comment at this point," said Mark Kanai, the attorney handling the Rainiers sale. "There are various agreements involved and there should be an announcement in the next week to 10 days."
Mark Rivers, a real estate developer from the East Coast, confirmed last month his desire to buy the Rainiers. If successful, he is considering moving the team to Honolulu or Reno, Nev., and has visited both cities several times.
Team owner George Foster put the club up for sale a year ago. He has said he wanted to sell it to a Tacoma owner.
Kanai would not comment on how much weight Foster's desire to see the team remain in Tacoma will play in the owner's final decision on a buyer.
Stan Naccarato, who owned the Tacoma club for a number of years when the Hawaii Islanders were PCL members, told the News Tribune he is not involved in the Tacoma group.