It appears the City of Rochester and owners of the Rochester Rhinos will settle their lease issue through a formal legal process.
The City originally told the owners of the Rhinos, David and Wendy Dworkin, they had to leave Capelli Sports Stadium by the end of February, saying they had violated their lease after the Dworkins put the Rhinos on hiatus for the upcoming season.
The Dworkins maintain that they haven't violated their lease because they have scheduled matches with other professional soccer teams for the stadium in 2018.
In statements released this afternoon, both sides blame the other for negotiations falling through, and both say they are preparing to sort this out through the legal system.
Both statements have been posted below:
"Unfortunately, we were not able to finalize a settlement, despite our good faith efforts in discussions with the City over many weeks. We were willing to continue negotiations, but the City refused to extend the agreed-upon deadline. We are confident in our legal positions and look forward to presenting them through a formal legal process. We have no further comment at this time."
- David & Wendy Dworkin
"The City of Rochester has been negotiating in good faith to find a path forward at the stadium. In attempting to overcome the stadium operator's default on the provisions of their lease, the City's primary focus and mission has been the protection of city taxpayers and their interests. After half-a-dozen tentative agreements, the negotiation became one of ever-moving goal posts with no end or resolution in sight. While the stadium operator felt it was okay to cease their soccer operations in order to save dollars, they are now seeking a court order to deny city taxpayers a similar opportunity, which seems patently unfair. No one is entitled to a taxpayer-supported subsidy and the City will not allow the hardworking residents of our community to be taken advantage of. The City of Rochester will now seek appropriate legal remedy to protect our taxpayers and their approximate $600,000 per year investment in this publicly-owned facility."
- James P. Smith, Director Communication & Special Events