Reese vows to continue Knights fight

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Jerry Reese, practically a household name throughout the metro area because of his failed fights to stop the Charlotte Knights from building a stadium in Uptown, suffered a setback this week: Over the protests of Reese, the City Council OK’d $8 million to help cover part of the project’s construction costs.

Despite that — and his unsuccessful attempts to derail the project through lawsuits — Reese told The Mecklenburg Times Thursday that he’s not backing down. He said he’s considering hiring a law firm from outside the Charlotte area to take up his case, instead of continuing to represent himself.

“I’m not at a point to make any announcements yet,” he said. “I haven’t obtained anyone.

“But I am in serious discussions with some very good litigation firms, so that, going into court, they will easily be able to stand toe to toe with anybody the county or the Knights get. And that will make a big difference.”

Reese, a real estate lawyer, has taken issue with various aspects of the project. For one, he has said the city should be seeking a major league baseball team, not a minor league one.

He has filed seven lawsuits — two are pending — so far in an effort to prevent the project, which would allow the AAA-affiliate of the Chicago White Sox to relocate to Uptown from South Carolina.

Reese on Thursday blamed the failure of his lawsuits on the fact that he was representing himself. But powerful attorneys from outside the region would give him a better chance of killing the project, he said.

“Not just anybody has the backbone to take that kind of case, but the people I’m talking to are very good,” he said. “So, those who say this lawsuit is frivolous and has no merit may have another thought coming.”

Reese said he plans to file the lawsuit before June 30. He said hearings are set for July 30 for two lawsuits he filed in March.

GUION can be reached at [email protected].