Esteban Parra, and Christina Jedra

The News Journal

Salesianum School officials are withdrawing their offer to lease Baynard Stadium from the city of Wilmington and take over its operation.

As part of the withdrawal, the school has removed the $20 million investment it was going to make in the stadium, which saw its last major renovation in 1972 and had a section of its bleachers condemned earlier this year.

The private school's action Tuesday comes after a meeting Monday night in which several residents, led by state Rep. Charles Potter Jr., asked members of Wilmington City Council’s Education, Youth and Families Committee to hold off on the proposal until it could be further reviewed by the public and a task force could be formed to study the measure.

"An effort led by state representative Charles Potter and his wife, City Treasurer-elect Velda Jones-Potter, suggested that this renovation could – and should – be funded by taxpayer dollars," according to the withdrawal letter provided to The News Journal. "As a result, the committee's chairman, City Council Member Nnamdi Chukwuocha, who previously sponsored the legislation, decided that a task force was necessary to examine the situation at Baynard Stadium."

Salesianum said its withdrawal does not represent a change in its commitment to the city, but it is a reflection "of a reality that Salesianum was providing resources to the city through charitable gifts."

Brendan Kennealey, the school's president, told The News Journal that this could have been a "bright light" for the city and shown others how a private and public partnership could work. "The city needs partners now probably more than ever," he said.

"My concern is that others who might have seen that step forward that we took and may be inspired to follow it, may now be having some very serious thoughts about doing that," Kennealey said. "And that is really tragic because the city needs support from lots of different partners."

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Jones-Potter, at the Monday committee hearing, said she was a proponent of public and private partnership, but they have to be done "wisely and with the public benefit as the true involving fact." Jones-Potter said she was disappointed in the manner in which this agreement to commit a major city asset unfolded. She said it was not as transparent as it could have been.

"But for that, it has created tension between the community and Salesianum," she said.

Chukwuocha said Tuesday afternoon that he is "satisfied" that the proposal won't move forward, calling it a "fast-moving train."

"The way it’s being presented is that Baynard Stadium is going to fall down tomorrow," he said. "As council members, we haven't received any briefings ... We don’t know what the condition of the stadium is."

Charles Potter did not return calls for comment, but about 9:30 p.m. he sent out a letter out saying that he "called for transparency and community involvement regarding the 100-year transfer of control of Baynard Stadium Park to Salesianum School."

In the letter, he said Monday's committee meeting was the first and only opportunity afforded the public to gain information and give comment on the agreement.

A task force of city, state and community leaders will evaluate the stadium and funding options and "create solutions to the barriers that hinder equal access," the District 1 representative said.

"The biggest grievance I had with the lease agreement as presented was it would have not only continued but exacerbated inequities in access to the field for Wilmington youth and youth organizations," Chukwuocha said. "The prices are a burden."

Chukwuocha said Salesianum's proposal lacked the elements of a "typical partnership."

"This is a city asset and it was being given control by a private entity," he said. "That’s not how public-private partnerships have worked in our city."

State lawmakers openly criticized Wilmington's and Potter's opposition to the school's agreement to infuse private capital into rehabbing Baynard Stadium.

"This is the equivalent of looking a gift horse in the mouth and punching it in the jaw," said state Sen. Harris B. McDowell III, D-Wilmington North, who represents the district. "The Salesianum deal would have been good for Baynard Stadium, good for the schools that have traditionally used the stadium and good for the city of Wilmington and broader community.

"Private donors pledged to put more into the stadium than I believe the state and city can currently afford, while still guaranteeing public access as appropriate, so clearly I disagree with City Council's decision not to quickly proceed. That said, I remain pledged to work with them on an agreement we all can live with – one that ensures the stadium will remain a centerpiece of our community for years to come."

State Sen. Greg Lavelle, R-Sharpley, wondered where the city would find the money for the stadium.

"Charles Potter must have a number of pots of gold that only he is aware of," Lavelle said. "The city doesn't have $20 million and rest assured the state doesn't. If either entity did, the stadium would not be in the condition it is today.

"Simple statement of fact."

Lavelle said he would be calling state officials to gain a better understanding of the state and city relationship as it goes to making this decision and saving a historic stadium.

The Salesianum proposal would have allowed the private, all-male Catholic school to raise private funds to completely renovate the 94-year-old facility, which is in need of major repairs. The bleachers on the south side of the facility were condemned in May following a structural engineering assessment. They were demolished in July and a much smaller set of temporary bleachers was installed in time for the start of the fall sports season in September.

Baynard Stadium is owned by the city, but is part of Brandywine Park and has been managed by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control since 1998. With city and state budgets stretched thin, it was likely going to require a private entity to step forward with a proposal for funding renovations.

Officials from Salesianum, which sits across the street from the stadium, said they were willing to enter a 50-year lease with the city with a renewable option for an additional 50 years, adding that all schools and organizations currently using the stadium would be welcome to continue using it during and after renovations, under the same financial arrangements they have now.

Several speakers at Monday's committee meeting insisted they wanted more time to learn about the lease, while others questioned how many organizations would get to use the stadium.

Howard High School of Technology, Delaware Military Academy and St. Elizabeth also play home football games at the stadium. Padua, Howard and Salesianum host track and field meets, along with Catholic Youth Ministry, YMCA and City of Wilmington groups. The city also uses the stadium for a flag football league, and Ursuline Academy has played soccer games there.

Last year, Salesianum paid about $18,000 to rent the stadium. If the proposal had gone through, the school would have paid an average of $400,000 per year over the lifespan of the 50-year agreement.

When asked if Salesianum could use that money to build a stadium on its property, where they already have a football field, Kennealey said that would be something the school would explore.

"We can and we may do that," he said. "But this would have been better. This would have been better for the city."

Using their own field would only benefit Salesianum and not the city, Kennealey added.

In an email sent out after Salesianum announced it was withdrawing from the proposed agreement, Wilmington City Council President Theo Gregory and Council President-elect Shabazz expressed their appreciation to the school for its willingness to raise as much as $20 million in private funding for the renovation of the facility.

Gregory and Shabazz said that the issues surrounding community use of the stadium and the cost to use the stadium will have to be dealt with regardless of when the renovation funding issues are resolved.

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3. Contact Christina Jedra at (302) 324-2837 or cjedra@delawareonline.com.