Luzerne County to sue Lackawanna over baseball controversy

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.comLuzerne County Reporter

Luzerne County Commissioners voted this afternoon to sue Lackawanna County and the Multi-Purpose Stadium Authority of Lackawanna County over agreements involving the Triple-A baseball franchise occupied by the /Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

Lackawanna County officials approved 2007 franchise agreements that allow a sale of the franchise without input from LuzerneCounty, even though each county owns a share of the franchise stock and paid $1 million to buy the franchise in 1986.

Talk of a potential franchise sale to the Yankees has been surfacing as an option to fund millions in repairs at the Lackawanna County Multi-Purpose Stadium, where the team plays.

Luzerne County commissioners also voted this afternoon to hire Reed Smith LLC to file the lawsuit.

A franchise is a claim to a minor league team. Luzerne County commissioners have said the county owns half of the franchise and that it can’t be sold without their OK.

The county had prepared a lawsuit in 2007, but former county Commissioner Greg Skrepenak had abruptly canceled the filing of the lawsuit without explanation.

The statute of limitations to challenge the 2007 agreements may expire this September, which is why Luzerne County Commissioners could not wait until their next regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 15 to initiate a lawsuit.

According to the 1986 franchise purchase agreement, franchise sale proceeds must be split equally between the two counties, after reimbursing the Lackawanna County Multi-Purpose Stadium Authority $345,000 for its cost to bring the franchise here.

Scranton attorney John McGee has been pushing for a legal challenge over the 2007 agreements, saying the region will lose its claim on a Triple-A team if the franchise is sold. McGee was instrumental in bringing the franchise to the area in the 1980s.