Under a deadline extension from the city, the Rochester Rhinos will now have until March 12 to vacate Capelli Sport Stadium.
The Rhinos will not be fielding a team for the upcoming 2018 USL season due to financial difficulties. The City of Rochester, which owns Capelli Sport Stadium, later claimed that this put the Rhinos in default of their lease as operator of Capelli Sport Stadium. However, Rhinos owners David and Wendy Dworkin disputed that notion, believing that they would still be able to meet the terms of their lease despite not fielding a team in 2018.
Previously, the city had set a deadline of February 28 for the Rhinos to vacate Capelli Sport Stadium. That deadline has now been extended to March 12, as the city intends to continue discussions over the issue. More from The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle:
“Regarding Capelli Sport Stadium, the city will continue to negotiate based on what is in the best interest of our taxpayers,” city spokeswoman Jessica Alaimo said in an emailed statement. “In an effort to come to a resolution that is amicable to all parties, the city of Rochester has extended the deadline to vacate the stadium to March 12.”
City officials notified Rhinos owners David and Wendy Dworkin on Jan. 19 that they had until midnight Feb. 28 to vacate the facility. The city contends that the Dworkins’ decision to not field a team in the USL for the 2018 season put them in default of their lease as stadium operator.
Despite not fielding a team, the Rhinos have previously indicated that they are to remain a member in good standing with the USL for 2018. The Rhinos, who announced in November that they would not field a team for the 2018 USL season, have played at Capelli Sport Stadium since 2006.
Image courtesy Rochester Rhinos
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