GASTONIA, N.C. — The company that owns the Gastonia Honey Hunters is countersuing the City of Gastonia over its alleged “abusive and unlawful pattern of conduct.” The new lawsuit comes after the city sued the baseball team over their unpaid debts.
The Honey Hunters’ stadium, CaroMont Health Park, was meant to anchor a redeveloping area along West Franklin Boulevard.
The team, owned by NC Gas House Gang LLC, signed an agreement with the city in June 2020 but immediately struggled with profitability. The company pointed out that the pandemic hit in 2020 before the stadium opened in 2021.
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That 2021 season was a struggle. It got better in 2022, but the team’s financial losses continued. By 2023, the team’s financial difficulties soon overcame its operations, the lawsuit says.
NC Gas House Gang alleges it was then the City of Gastonia “devised a scheme to take ownership of the team and membership in the [Atlantic] League from NC Gas House Gang.” They alleged that the president of the league even wanted to “poach NC Gas House Gang’s employees.”
In the lawsuit, NC Gas House Gang said they responded by securing $1 million from an angel investor. They said they also found two prospective buyers who planned to buy the baseball team for $4 million.
“Plaintiff and the League flatly rejected NC Gas House Gang’s efforts to address its financial difficulties,” the suit alleges.
The company said the City of Gastonia put locks put on the stadium on Dec. 5, which demonstrated the “Plaintiff’s unmistakable expression of intent not to perform its obligations under the [2020 agreement].”
NC Gas House Gang said it was driven into bankruptcy at that point.
The Honey Hunters owners are asking for $75,000 in damages and a dismissal of the city’s original complaint with prejudice. They are alleging the city committed breach of contract, among other accusations.
A spokesperson for the City of Gastonia said they have no comment at this time but will respond in court to the countersuit.
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