STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Staten Island FerryHawks, the borough’s Atlantic League professional baseball team, has undergone a change in leadership.
Interim CEO John Catsimatidis, the billionaire businessman and former New York City mayoral candidate, announced on Friday that he will be leading the team into its next phase of growth. Catsimatidis fills the role previously held by Eric Shuffler, who resigned “a few weeks ago.”
“I have loved my time as president of the FerryHawks,” Shuffler said in a statement to the Advance/SILive.com. “The opportunity to build a baseball franchise and provide family entertainment in Staten Island has been incredibly meaningful to my partners and me. It has been one of the highlights of my professional life. While I will continue as a member of ownership, I have made the decision that it is time for me to move on from the role of president. Go FerryHawks, and I can’t wait to see everyone at SIUH Community Park this summer!”
While Catsimatidis has some aspirations, the new CEO said he will first need to address a major pipe burst that flooded the stadium last week.
Catsimatidis is unsure why the pipe, which he said supplies water to Empire Outlets, burst; however, “there’s a lot of damage” and repairs are being done “day and night” to get the stadium “back in shape.”
“There’ll be a lot of brand new paint on the walls and new carpeting,” he told the Advance/SILive.com.
Although uncertain as to exactly how costly this flooding event will be, Catsimatidis estimated damages could be a “couple million dollars.”
The Economic Development Corporation and the City of New York have been kept informed and all parties are doing everything possible to make repairs, according to a press release from Catsimatidis.
In looking beyond repairs, the interim CEO provided a vision for the future of the ballpark and its team.
“I look forward to taking over the team; I love Staten Island, one of the boroughs I won when I ran for mayor of New York in 2013,” he said in a statement. “I have always loved and admired the people of Staten Island. I will be creating a great, competitive, baseball team. The name may be changed. And my company, WABC may take some participation in it.”
“My dream is to create an entertainment center, for all of Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan and New Jersey to benefit from, welcoming baseball, soccer, music, community events, etc. etc. I will be assisted by Gary Perone, executive vice president and general manager, to help facilitate this exciting chapter,” Catsimatidis added. ”I look forward to meeting with all my friends in Staten Island that will help in this matter.”
In addition to providing more entertainment, Catsimatidis hopes to bring “better food” and valet parking to the venue.
“The venue serves New York City well, being a New York City venue that can host championship games, and college and high school sporting events,” Perone said. “With the addition of the fast ferry, we are now able to move more fans and guests around New York City quickly, economically and efficiently. Take the ferry from Brooklyn, take the ferry from Manhattan and the bridge from New Jersey. You can take the ferry from Manhattan directly into the outfield.”