Yesterday in Wilmington, a group opposed to using public money to fund a potential baseball stadium delivered a petition with almost 4,000 signatures to the city clerk’s office.
WHQR’s Sara Wood reports even with the uncertain future of minor league baseball in Wilmington, if the New Hanover County Board of Elections certifies the signatures, the proposed ordinance would have to be considered by the city council.
If the petitioned ordinance is placed on the council’s agenda, the council has to vote on whether or not to adopt it, with no changes. The language states that no city money shall be used directly or indirectly for the use of any multi-purpose sports stadium and all funding for these ventures must come from the private sector. The group’s organizers, Josh Fulton and Ben McCoy have been collecting signatures since February. If the ordinance is not adopted, it would become a referendum in the general election. Even though the city has not decided whether or not to move forward with plans for a stadium, the petition submitted today could change the course of the development plan on the table, which currently proposes a public/private partnership to fund the project.