THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 9, 1995 TAG: 9511090520
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: THE SHREVEPORT TIMES
DATELINE: SHREVEPORT, LA. LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
The Shreveport Pirates are having trouble getting out of town.
Pirates personnel, packing equipment for an apparent move to Hampton Roads, were ordered out of their offices Wednesday by Shreveport police when building landlord Chester Pitts demanded a resolution to the lease.
A settlement was reached in the afternoon when the Pirates assured Pitts he would receive all payments. Pitts then allowed the Pirates equipment managers to continue loading moving vans.
The Pirates hoped to be off the premises by Friday. The equipment will be stored at an undisclosed location. ``It was a dispute with a building owner over the amount of money owed,'' Pirates attorney Mark Gilliam said. ``The parties were able to sit down and come up with an amicable resolution.''
Pitts said the Pirates were two months behind on their $3,000 per month lease and said he was concerned about the remainder of the lease, which runs through February. When he was informed a moving van was parked in front of the building, he contacted police.
``I heard the Pirates were moving, but I had not heard anything from them,'' Pitts said Wednesday. ``I just want to be assured that I will receive what I'm owed.''
Pirates attorneys, however, were miffed by the manner in which the employees were chased out of the building by police. Gilliam said police overstepped their bounds.
``They had no right to be there in that capacity,'' he said. ``Now if they want to keep people from beating each other up, then that's another thing, but that didn't appear to be the situation.''
Strapped with losses of nearly $6 million in two years of existence, the Pirates have apparently decided to set sail from Shreveport. The team has received much criticism from fans in the northwestern Louisiana city, and several vendors have gone public with claims of money owed.
The Pirates have sent letters to creditors explaining that payments in full will be made before or by Dec. 31. Pitts said he never received any notice.
Team president Lonie Glieberman said the team's debts are less than $100,000, excluding money owed Highland Hospital, the team's largest single creditor. The Pirates are also in the process of trying to collect nearly $100,000 in corporate sponsorships.
``I can't believe the way things are happening,'' Glieberman said. ``We've tried to assure everyone that they will get paid. That's all we can do right now.'' by CNB