Joliet JackHammers Sold To Steel City Baseball

By Anna Deem in News on Dec 12, 2010 7:30PM

After months of negotiations, the fate of the Joliet Jackhammers has finally been decided. Steel City Baseball LLC finalized a deal on Friday to buy all the assets of the Jackhammers. The company has plans to change the team's name and mascot; however they will continue to play at the Silver Cross Field. The purchase price has not been disclosed.

"We're turning the page to a new chapter for professional baseball in Joliet," said Bill Waliewski, Steel City president, to the Chicago Tribune. "We're just really excited to be a part of it. This is a great thing and we hope this will be a great thing for the city of Joliet and Will County." The new team will be announced in time for the spring 2011 season and will be a part of the Frontier League. John Dittrich, the former general manager for the Schaumburg Flyers, will be Joliet's new general manager.

Steel City's acquisition of the Jackhammers puts an end to their debt with the city, as they owed $220,000 for rent at Silver Cross Field. As part of the sale, neither the city nor the various vendors will receive payment for their unpaid bills. Last month, the Joliet City Council approved a 10-year lease with the new team, agreeing to allow them to pay $150,000 annually in rent. The lease also included a $1 million investment by Steel City to install artificial turf at the stadium so it can be used by Joliet Central High School's football team starting in 2012.