Lake Erie Crushers get $1 million grant from state

The state has given a $1 million grant to the Lake Erie Crushers in Avon to help the independent professional baseball team recover from losses suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Department of Development announced Monday. The state legislature appropriated $30 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to eight eligible minor league baseball and hockey teams through the ODOD's Minor League Relief Grants program. The Lake Erie Crushers, which play in the independent Frontier League at Mercy Health Stadium in Avon, received approximately $1,032,260. Other baseball teams and the approximate amount of money they were awarded were: Toledo Mud Hens — $7,414,769 Dayton Dragons — $6,208,396 Akron RubberDucks — $3,869,612 Lake County Captains — $1,635,081 Mahoning Valley Scrappers — $927,487 The minor league hockey Toledo Walleye received $5,321,219, while the minor league hockey Cincinnati Cyclones received $3,590,364. Individual grant amounts were awarded based on the teams' 2019 gross revenue. "With this funding we're supporting more than just these teams; we're supporting beloved members of our communities," ODOD Director Lydia Mihalik said. Earlier, the Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted to give $995,000 to the city of Avon to help upgrade the stadium in October. In a 2-1 vote, Commissioner David Moore was the lone vote against the proposal. Avon owns Mercy Health Stadium and leases it to the team. City and team officials had asked for $1 million to help pay to install a new video scoreboard and artificial turf to draw more community events and youth sports at the complex alongside Interstate 90. The Crushers' 2020 season was canceled and the 2021 season was not as financially successful due to the pandemic.