Salem’s Minor League Team Is Purchased

Executives of the Northwest League have approved the sale of Salem’s Class A baseball team to a resident of Hawaii, but they expect the team to remain in Oregon.

The team was sold to D.J. Elmore Jr., whose father David Elmore owns the Northwest League’s Eugene Emeralds, the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders and other minor league teams.

The team had been for sale for more than two years, and the elder Elmore had been working on a deal since August. The purchase price was not disclosed, and Elmore could not be reached for comment.

Jack Cain, the president of the Northwest League, said it was his understanding the team would remain in Oregon. Included in the contract was a clause that prohibits the relocation of the team without the consent of the other owners in the league.

Elmore’s team in Eugene has led the nation in Class A attendance for two years.

Elmore had said earlier this year that he was losing money on his Class AAA team and wanted to relocate it on the mainland, shifting the Class A team to Hawaii.