Rumors are spreading that Missoula County is preparing to oust the American Legion and Missoula Mavericks from Lindborg-Cregg field to build condos on the land. Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss says not a word of those rumors is true.

Curtiss said Thursday, April 11, that "Missoula County has had a lease with the American Legion for over 20 years for the Tower Street property where the Mavericks play. Several years ago, the American Legion asked the county for permission to issue a sublease for a cell tower, with the revenue to be split three ways."

To avoid further confusion, Curtiss said "the County has decided to terminate the lease 'without cause', meaning they (the Legion) haven't done a darn thing wrong. However, it was really a burden for the American Legion folks to produce the kind of financial records that the County requires." Curtiss said the county sent a letter to the American Legion that would terminate the lease in six months.

She said, "we expect the Mavericks to play their full season, because the six months won't expire until July 28th. And then, what we're doing," Curtiss added, "is we're just starting from scratch."

Missoula County is required by law to issue a call for proposals, and Curtiss said, " we've encouraged the Legion to reapply. The Mavericks baseball team could apply for the lease without the Legion, should they choose to," Curtiss said. "In the end, the Legion and the Mavericks could still be there, but we'll have a more modern, clarified lease, thus removing the record-keeping burden from the American Legion."

Curtiss was very careful to say "even if we thought we wanted to build condos on that property, we couldn't, because the parks plan would not allow it."

Curtiss wants to reassure Missoula residents that, "the county really does like baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, Chevrolet...and mom."

Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss

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