BALLPARK FIGURES

Pirates, SEA at odds over size of reimbursement

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pittsburgh Pirates aren’t exactly raising the Jolly Roger over the $2.6 million in reimbursements they will receive for a host of capital improvements they made to PNC Park before the 2017 season.

Bryan Stroh, the Pirates’ general counsel and senior vice president of business affairs, said the team believes it is owed another $1.9 million for the work, which included a new out-of-town scoreboard, seat replacements and new field lighting.

Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority board members approved $2.6 million in reimbursements for the upgrades Thursday. But Mr. Stroh said it’s not enough.

“We’re pleased to narrow the scope of what’s at issue, but this does not resolve the outstanding capital repairs the Pirates put into PNC Park over a year ago and we’re going to continue to work on it,” he said.

The team spent more than $10 million making improvements to the North Shore ballpark, owned by the SEA, before last season, but sought reimbursement for only $4.5 million, Mr. Stroh said.

He noted the team believes all $4.5 million in renovations — which also included new carpeting and painting in suites and the Lexus Club — constituted a “repair” eligible for reimbursement under the Pirates’ PNC Park lease.

But in its review of the upgrades and discussions with consultants, the SEA determined that the $2.6 million approved Thursday was what it was obligatedto pay under the lease.

“It’s not a dollar for dollar,