Oxnard OKs Deal for Suns to Play at College

Still hoping for a pre-Christmas miracle, the Oxnard City Council late Thursday approved an agreement to let the Palm Springs Suns play at Oxnard College.

Although the Western League has made it clear that the team will probably not play in 1997, council members said they still hope they can get a minor league baseball team playing in their city by spring.

“I’m so excited we’ve finally gotten all the details so we can move forward,” Suns owner Don DiCarlo said about the possibility of playing during the 1997 season, which begins in May.

“We are going to do everything we can,” he said. “I don’t know how the league will vote, but the most important thing is that we end up in Oxnard.”

Despite its continuing support for bringing the Suns to Oxnard, the City Council deliberated late Thursday about the terms of its agreement, which are designed to ensure that the city can back out of the deal if insurmountable problems are uncovered during environmental and traffic studies.

DiCarlo and city officials had hoped to finalize the agreement before a meeting today of the Western League’s board.

At today’s meeting, executives expect to discuss the status of two teams, the Long Beach Riptide and the Grays Harbor Gulls, that were facing some financial and logistic difficulties for the 1997 season.

But Western League President Bruce Engel said that now that the two teams’ problems have been resolved, they will play next year and the chances that the Suns will participate in the 1997 season are slim to none.

“We want to get that thing squared away for 1998, not 1997,” said Engel. “They wanted to be in the position for us to look again for 1997, but it’s not relevant at this point.”

The new licensing agreement, which outlines parking and neighborhood concerns, comes a few days after the Ventura County Community College District trustees voted to allow the team to play baseball at the college beginning in May, through October 1998.

According to the agreement, the Suns would be required to develop a parking and traffic plan by May 1. In addition, the Ventura County Community College District trustees must preapprove any promotions planned by the Suns, which made headlines in Palm Springs for such marketing ploys as “Nude Night” and “Drag Queen Night.”

The Suns have several other obstacles to overcome before they can begin playing, even in 1998. For example, studies on parking, lighting and security must be completed before they begin play, city officials said. And a separate environmental impact report on using the college facility must be completed by the end of February.

In addition, DiCarlo must clear all his team’s debts before the Western League will approve the team’s relocation to Oxnard, league officials said. The city of Palm Springs said DiCarlo owes it $28,000 in concessions and rent payments. DiCarlo denies that he owes the city any money, arguing that he invested more than $300,000 in stadium renovations in Palm Springs.

DiCarlo must also pay to upgrade the Oxnard College field to minor league standards with enhanced lighting, additional bleachers, restrooms and concession stands.

The city is considering lending DiCarlo $250,000, if another lender is not found, to cover the refurbishing of the field.

But having the city and the trustees sign off on the agreements--especially considering the trustees’ rejection of a similar agreement in November--brings the Suns closer to making their Oxnard baseball dreams a reality.

“This is the first step in what staff envisions to be a long process. There is a long way to go before they can play ball in May 1997,” said Gary Gillig, Oxnard city attorney.