In a move that has lit up local Facebook feeds faster than a Friday night fireworks show, the Mooresville Spinners say the town has effectively iced them out of the newly renovated Moor Park stadium when it reopens next year. The summer collegiate club, a familiar presence on warm downtown evenings, warned fans this season might be its last, and longtime supporters did not take the news quietly.
Team owners say they hold a long-term lease that runs through the 2028 summer season, yet learned from acquaintances, not officials, that the town had opened up Moor Park to competing bids. The uncertainty has put a cloud over the club's final home dates and rattled nearby businesses that count on game-night crowds to keep the summer cash registers ringing.
According to The Charlotte Observer, co-owner and general manager Phillip Loftin said, "We've been pushed aside," after discovering that the town had solicited proposals to lease the stadium. The paper reported that the Spinners' social media post warning this season may be their last pulled in more than 600 likes and about 260 comments. It also noted that the club's final scheduled home game is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, at Mooresville High School Stadium against the Troutman Dawgs, an evening billed as Ladies Night with free admission for women.
The team's official site still lists Moor Park at 691 S. Broad St. as its longtime home and carries the season schedule, promotions and ticket information. For many fans, that field is not just an address but a piece of the Spinners' identity and a big part of downtown summer life.
Town officials, for their part, are not exactly letting those claims sail over the plate. In an email quoted by The Charlotte Observer, town spokesperson Michael Rudd said the town "disputes several of the claims that have been made" while also saying it "appreciates and celebrates the Mooresville Spinners and its role in the community." Rudd declined to spell out the results of the bidding process and said he could not explain why the Spinners did not submit a proposal in the public solicitation.
Town Issued RFP for Moor Park Lease
Public procurement records show the town posted a Request for Proposals for the "Lease of Moor Park Stadium" in mid May and closed bids on June 17. The listing sought a 10 year operator responsible for scheduling at least 25 home games per season, running concessions, handling field care and covering utilities, according to a procurement listing.
The summary for that solicitation requires bidders to show proof of funding and carry multimillion dollar liability insurance, and it specifies that either party could terminate the lease with 365 days' written notice. On paper, at least, the documents make clear the town was actively shopping for a long term operator for the revamped venue.
Fans and a number of downtown business owners reacted quickly, both online and in conversations with local reporters, arguing that the shift undercuts years of volunteer effort that helped turn Moor Park into a summer destination. The Spinners' post urged supporters to fill the stands for remaining games and to "respectfully let your voices be heard" as the club tries to sort out its future. For now, the team says it plans to finish the season and squeeze everything it can out of the dates left on the schedule.
Legal Outlook
The legal picture is, at best, murky based on what is public so far. Loftin says the club holds a lease that runs through 2028, while the town's solicitation seeks a fresh long term lessee and reserves broad rights for the municipality. The procurement summary clearly states that the town expects any lessee to shoulder specific liability obligations and accept that either side may end the agreement with 365 days' written notice. Those details could loom large in whatever comes next.
Any formal fight over access to the renovated stadium would likely turn on what is in the written contracts and how the town awards the current solicitation. Until that plays out, there is more speculation than certainty about who will actually take the field when the ballpark reopens.
The Spinners have asked fans to "celebrate our players" at the remaining games, and the town says it looks forward to bringing baseball and other events back to Moor Park next year as renovations wrap up. For more on the project and its timeline, see the Town of Mooresville's Moor Park renovation announcement.
