Yakima Bears Will Honor Stadium Contract

Yakima County Commissioner Mike Leita does not anticipate any problems in releasing the Yakima Bears from the team's contract that runs through 2015. The Bears are set to move to Hillsboro, Oregon, next year after officials approved an agreement June 5 to build a new stadium for Single-A baseball. Mike Leita tells KIT News if the team leaves it will be a huge loss to the area, but he says the Bears are committed to honoring the county contract even if they move out of town. Leita believes there will be an agreement worked out if the Bears move to Oregon in 2013. In the meantime, the county is still willing to work with the Bears to keep them here, but there is no money to build a new stadium.

Now that the agreement has been signed by Hillsboro officials, and the Yakima Bears, the Hillsboro stadium deal still needs additional approval from Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, and the Northwest League by June 29.

State Fair Association President Greg Stewart says the team needs to buyout the lease to leave early. He says without the team, the fair stands to lose about $50,000 a year including parking and concessions.