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Tampa Bay Rays to explore Sister City concept with the Montreal Group

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MONTREAL, June 20, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - In response to the ESPN article, from Jeff Passan, published today under the title: Rays to explore splitting games with Montreal, Mr Stephen Bronfman makes the following statement:

"We have been hard at work for several years examining how we can bring baseball back to Montreal in a sustainable manner. This concept is definitely one that is of interest to my partners and me and we are looking forward to studying this further."

The Montreal Group will have no further comment until after the Tampa Bay Rays media session that is being planned for next week.

About the Montreal Group
Stephen Bronfman and his partners comprise a group of Montreal-based business leaders who are dedicated to working together to carry out a plan that will result in the return of Major League Baseball to Montreal. This group is led by Stephen Bronfman, Executive Chairman, Claridge Inc. together with Pierre Boivin, President and CEO, Claridge Inc. The Group also includes Alain Bouchard, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of Alimentation Couche-Tard, Mitch Garber, Chairman of the Board of Cirque du Soleil and Invest in Canada, Eric Boyko Co-Founder, President and CEO of Stingray Digital Group Inc. and Stéphane Crétier, Founder, Chairman, President and CEO of Garda World. The Montreal Group is supported by William Jegher, Partner, Transaction Advisory Services and Quebec Real Estate Leader at EY, and by Richard Epstein, Lawyer, Partner, Board Member, and co-leader of the Mergers and Acquisitions practice at BCF LLP.

SOURCE Montreal Group

For further information: Daniel Granger, ACJ Communication, W. 514 840-7990, M. 514 232-1556, daniel.granger@acjcommunication.com

A message from Stephen Bronfman: Join us in celebrating the Montreal Expos’ 50th Anniversary

Original here:
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/joins-us-in-celebrating-the-montreal-expos-50th-anniversary-885239743.html?fbclid=IwAR1-VTZmGLF6Dz6rDnnESbLyrk-i5W9gvaxJbrtLIicrfon3rDD5bpOWMcg

MONTREAL, March 21, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Ahead of the upcoming March 25 and 26 games at Olympic Stadium and the multiple events that will mark the Montreal Expos' 50th anniversary in the coming months, Charles and Stephen Bronfman wish to thank all fans, players, coaches, sports media and business partners for their support and loyalty to baseball and Nos Amours, the Montreal Expos.

Several activities over the next few days will highlight the baseball celebrations in Montréal and Quebec and the Expos' 50th anniversary. Several events dedicated to young players and coaches and marking the 50th anniversary of Baseball Québec will be held at Olympic Stadium on March 22 and 23, with the collaboration of the Baseball Academy of Canada.

The Expos Fest Celebrity Gala "50th Anniversary" will be held on March 24, with the participation of ten former Expos, including members of the original team. The former Expos will also be invited to Montréal City Hall the following day for the signing of the guestbook.

At the games to be played at Olympic Stadium on March 25 and 26, baseball and Expos fans will get the chance to admire many items related to the history of the Expos – baseball bats, jerseys and balls as well as the outstanding other memorabilia of several favourite players – and relive the great moments in the story of the Montreal Expos. Many former Expos will participate in autograph signing sessions before each of the two games, including Ross Grimsley, Tim Burke, Dennis Martinez and Claude Raymond on the 25th, and Mike Fitzgerald, Steve Renko, Coco Laboy, Javy Vasquez and Denis Boucher on the 26th. Rusty Staub and several former Expos will also be the subject of special tribute ceremonies during games. Come out to the ballgames and be part of the celebrations.

"The Expos started their first season in the spring of 1969 at Jarry Park. All these celebrations, over the coming days and months, will let us relive the greatest moments in the Expos' history and once again demonstrate our passion and our collective commitment to this great sport and unique team. My Dad and I are deeply touched by all these gestures of gratitude, and we sincerely thank all Expos supporters, baseball fans, the people of Montréal and Quebec, the various governments, as well as all the organizers of these activities for their backing and encouragement, and all their tireless efforts in bringing baseball back to Montreal," said Stephen Bronfman.

SOURCE Stephen Bronfman

A message from Stephen Bronfman and the team seeking the return of an MLB franchise to Montreal

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/a-message-from-stephen-bronfman-and-the-team-seeking-the-return-of-an-mlb-franchise-to-montreal-683621951.html

MONTREAL, May 24, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - On behalf of our entire team, I'd like to thank the 1,400 Montrealers who signed up to participate in our baseball focus groups. The 100 people who were selected to participate and the 15 CEOs with whom 1 on 1 interviews were conducted over the course of the last two days provided us with precious feedback. Your input is an important piece in this puzzle with the ultimate goal being the return of Major League Baseball to Montreal in an exciting, successful and sustainable way. Many thanks for your interest and passion. À très bientôt.

- Stephen Bronfman and the team seeking the return of an MLB franchise to Montreal.

SOURCE Stephen Bronfman

For further information: Daniel Granger, (514) 232-1556, daniel.granger@acjcommunication.com

STATEMENT BY MONTREAL BASEBALL PROJECT ON MEETING WITH MAYOR VALERIE PLANTE

Montreal Baseball Project is very pleased at the outcome of the meeting between Stephen Bronfman, Mitch Garber and Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante.

"I am very encouraged by the positive discussion between Stephen Bronfman, Mitch Garber and Mayor Valerie Plante”, says Montreal Baseball Project founder and president Warren Cromartie. “For Mayor Plante to enthusiastically proclaim "We’re in!" speaks volumes about the quality of the effort we have put in on all fronts to move this project forward.

“Above all, it demonstrates the credibility of the individuals we are working with across the board and the thoroughness of our work to bring baseball back to Montreal. The level of interest in our project from fans, the baseball world, potential partners and others has never been higher.”

“To also hear Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard speak positively of our work is another significant development for us. These affirmations are a clear indication of our unwavering commitment to make Montreal a Major League city again, that will only add to our credibility as we move forward.

Established in 2012, Montreal Baseball Project seeks to build upon the recent groundswell of demand for baseball in Montreal and deliver a Major League team back to the community.

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CROMARTIE TO SERVE AS SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT WITH THE HISTORY CHANNEL JAPAN

Montreal Baseball Project today is pleased to announce that its founder and president Warren Cromartie will be working with the History Channel® Japan G.K. (History Japan) as a special correspondent. His work with the network will include documentaries and biographies that span the worlds of professional sports, entertainment, culture and beyond.

This collaboration will also include a YouTube channel called "Cro in Tokyo" that will explore the many facets of the city's unique culture from his point of view.

Cromartie is one of the most celebrated athletes in Japan, having been one of the first American baseball players to have established himself in the country's top-tier Nippon Professional Baseball League. He remains a widely-recognized figure, regularly making appearances on television and in other traditional and digital media.

For Cromartie, this new opportunity adds an exciting dimension to his various endeavors, in particular, his involvement in bringing a Major League Baseball franchise back to Montreal. "The curtain is only starting to lift on Montreal and its potential in the Japanese market. The business and cultural ties between Montreal and Japan continue to move in the right direction, and an important part of what I want to do is bring Montreal to the center stage of this tremendous market. I also hope to see this relationship evolve into part of the experience we are looking to bring with the return of baseball to Montreal."

“We are very excited Warren Cromartie is joining our team in Tokyo. He had an enormously positive impact on Japanese baseball and Japan overall. He was a hero to many during his career with the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo and remains an inspiration,” said John Flanagan, General Manager of History Japan. “We look forward to inspiring audiences in Japan and globally with the programs and on-line videos we create with Cromartie.”

One of Cromartie's first efforts with the History Channel Japan will be a biography about his life, part of which will be filmed in Montreal during the upcoming pre-season baseball games at the end of March.

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Vladimir Guerrero, Hall of Famer!

The Montreal Baseball Project is very pleased by the news of the election of legendary Montreal Expos star Vladimir Guerrero to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

"I am happy to see Vladimir Guerrero joining the Baseball Hall of Fame," says Montreal Baseball Project founder and president Warren Cromartie. "His outstanding results in only his second year of eligibility are testament to his electrifying style of play, and to the recognition that he earned throughout his career. To have come from such humble beginnings and earn the greatest individual honor a baseball player can receive is a remarkable story.

"Vladimir's decision to enter the Hall of Fame as an Angel is an understandable one. There are many factors that a player must consider together when given such a choice, which isn't often the case, as we saw with Gary Carter and Andre Dawson. Tim Raines embraced the idea of being inducted as an Expo, as it was the most representative of his career, even though it could result in him missing out on future opportunities.

"Being the first representative of a franchise in Cooperstown is a significant milestone that comes with a unique place in history. Vladimir has the right to make this choice based on what he feels is best for his future and the various ways a team is expected to support him as a Hall of Famer. It is unfortunate that the city where he played the longest and has the most fans does not currently have a team, but I can understand his decision.

"What does not change for any of these players is the many years they spent in Montreal, and the role the organization played in their development and success. Being a product of what was widely recognized as one of the best scouting and development organizations for decades is yet another link to baseball's history that Expos fans can take pride in, as we continue to advance in our objective of bringing Major League Baseball to Montreal."

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STATEMENT BY WARREN CROMARTIE ON THE PASSING OF MEL DIDIER

"Today I lost my mentor Mel Didier. Mel Didier signed me to my contract in 1973. He was a mentor to me and to Andre Dawson and the entire Montreal Expos farm system in the mid-70s. He was the reason the Expos always had a strong farm system, which would come to define the franchise throughout their history. His work molded players like Dawson, Ellis Valentine, Gary Carter, Larry Parish Jerry White, and Tony Scott, to name a few. He ran spring training in Daytona Beach like no other could. He had us focused, learning the fundamentals, always blowing his bullhorn, which you would hear throughout the day in spring training. His favourite word was "Tempo! Tempo!". His intensity defined him, and we were all better for it.

He was the only scout willing to visit a predominantly black Florida A&M University at the time to recruit Andre Dawson, who we all know went on to have a phenomenal Hall of Fame career. Race didn't matter to him at all.

He would always look at you in the eye, and face to face, with that Lafayette, Louisiana twang he had. The impact he had on all of us during our time in the minor leagues was instrumental in our careers. I owe him everything as a Montreal Expo and will never forget him. I am heartbroken today."

-Warren CromartieWarren Cromartie signing his first professional contract in 1973, accompanied by Mel Didier of the Expos and coach Demie Mainieri
Warren Cromartie signing his first professional contract in 1973, accompanied by Mel Didier of the Expos and coach Demie Mainieri

Welcome to Cooperstown, Tim Raines!

077f2dc9-365e-4c80-8dc4-259a3fdb67a7_ORIGINALThe Montreal Baseball Project is elated at the news of the election of Montreal Expos legend Tim Raines to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

"I am thrilled that Tim will now be taking his rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame," says Montreal Baseball Project founder and president Warren Cromartie. "A lifelong friend and teammate, he was one of the most legendary players in Expos history and it is fantastic to see him join Andre Dawson and Gary Carter as representatives of the Expos franchise in Cooperstown. "His illustrious career will finally be recognized with the highest honour in baseball. He was one of the best players of his era, and this recognition is one that is truly well-deserved."

The implications of this development for the return of baseball to Montreal are significant, according to Cromartie.

"Having another Expo in the Baseball Hall of Fame will allow for Montreal to further carve its place in baseball history, and strengthen the case for it to once again be home to a Major League team. Tim is an important part of Montreal's baseball history, which will take center stage at the induction ceremony in July."

"Despite winning the World Series with a franchise as prestigious as the New York Yankees and having success in other cities like Chicago, Montreal has always been close to Tim's heart. Montreal should be very proud of his accomplishment, and I know Expos fans everywhere share in our excitement at this news today."

The excellent results for former Expos all-star Vladimir Guerrero in his first year of eligibility are also a very positive development.

"I am also very pleased to see such a strong showing for Vladimir in his first year on the ballot", adds Cromartie. "It would be incredible to have one of the most electric players in Expos history join the Hall of Fame as soon as next year, so we can relive this once again. Today is without a doubt a very special day for Expos fans everywhere and we can all take immense pride in it."

Montreal Baseball Project is planning to celebrate Raines and his remarkable career later on this year, and give fans the opportunity to partake in this tribute.

Warren Cromartie meets with Red Sox upper management

Montreal, September 8, 2015 - On Monday September 7, Montreal Baseball Project founder and president Warren Cromartie travelled to Boston to meet with key members of the Red Sox organization, including owner John Henry, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Sam Kennedy and President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski.

"It was great to meet with the three of them and to speak about what we have accomplished here in Montreal, in our quest to bring Major League Baseball back to the city," said Cromartie. "They were well aware of our efforts and the tremendous support there is throughout the baseball world for what we have set out to do." Cromartie was also invited on Red Sox radio to talk about the groundswell of support for baseball in Montreal.

"I was particularly pleased to hear from them how much support there is for the return of baseball to Montreal in the Boston area, and how there is a strong overlap between the fan bases of both cities. I saw many fans wearing Expos hats and jerseys. I look forward to the day when the Boston Red Sox come to Montreal for a Major League baseball game."

The Montreal Baseball Project is an organization founded with the objective of bringing a Major League Baseball back team to Montreal. The city has a rich baseball history that included being the catalyst for Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, and with a regional population of close to 4 million people, it is currently the largest North American city without a baseball franchise. Montreal Baseball Project seeks to build upon the recent groundswell of demand for baseball in Montreal and deliver a team back to the community.
Photo : John Henry, Warren Cromartie, Sam Kennedy.
Photo : John Henry, Warren Cromartie, Sam Kennedy.

Photos: 2015 Expos All-Star Gala

Photos: Kevin Raftery

MBP’s Gala Dinner for the 20th Anniversary of the 1994 Expos

Montreal Baseball Project’s gala to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1994 Expos was, in one word, magical. Held on March 29, 2014 at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, fans in attendance of the sold-out affair began the evening up close and personal with the players at a VIP Cocktail. Master of Ceremonies Marc Griffin started the dinner with a rousing red carpet introduction of each of the team members in attendance. Gala attendees were treated to several video presentations, including a message from long-time Expos’ play-by-play announcer Dave Van Horne as well as a preview of filmmaker Robbie Hart’s documentary in progress, Nos Amours…The Journey Continues.

Invited speakers were Dr. Roger Tabah, Claudine Cook, Jacques Doucet, Rodger Brulotte, Matthew Ross, Elliott Price, Mitch Melnick, Jonah Keri, and Danny Gallagher. Two performances by Annakin  Slayd and Melissa Blouin brought the audience to their feet. MBP President and Founder Warren Cromartie presented commemorative prints to Guests of Honour Claude Raymond and Felipe Alou. Both Raymond and Alou gave moving speeches that remarked upon their many years as members of the Expos’ organization, their memories of the 1994 season, and their hopes for the future of Major League Baseball in Montreal.

The evening wrapped up with Cromartie taking over the microphone, inviting members of the 1994 Expos to the stage to talk – “Cropah-style” – about their own memories. It was during one of these chats that Larry Walker revealed – in a demonstration of just how confident the team was – that he and fellow outfielders Moises Alou and Marquis Grissom used to exchange gloves during pitching changes and play out the rest of the inning that way. The smile on manager Alou’s face at this revelation demonstrated that not only had the statute of limitations expired on shenanigans, but that he was just as confident in his players as they were in themselves.

Photographs by Andrew Soong

What We Talk About When We Talk About 1994

This piece appeared in the souvenir program for Montreal Baseball Project's gala dinner marking the 20th anniversary of the 1994 Expos, March 29, 2014.

What We Talk About When We Talk About 1994

By Mark Paterson

Nineteen ninety-four. For a Montreal Expos fan, there may be no more evocative term. It only takes one second to say it, two seconds to write it down, but to do either is to conjure an array of memories and emotions that last a lifetime. How can one season stand for so much? For everything that came before it, for everything that came after, and, most importantly, for what occurred on the field that year, 1994 was the Montreal Expos’ finest hour.

Not only were the 1994 Expos stacked with talent, they were stacked with young talent. Very young talent. From its solid starting rotation to its impressive bullpen to its dynamic offense, the roster’s average age was merely 26, the youngest in the Majors. The team had power, the team had speed, the team had arms – on the mound and in the field – but, perhaps even more significantly, the team was going to get even better.

This abundance of youth was balanced by the wisdom, experience, and craft of manager Felipe Alou. Alou had been at the helm of the club since May 22, 1992, when he became the Majors’ first Dominican manager after a long Major League playing career and many years as a minor league manager and a coach at various levels in the Expos’ organization. Alou’s arrival in the dugout marked the beginning of a renaissance for the Expos, both on the field and for the fans. Alou’s work with the 1994 team earned him the National League Manager of the Year Award. His body of work earned him the legendary status in the city of Montreal that lives on today.

At 74-40, the Expos’ record in 1994 – the best in all of baseball – is impressive enough on its own. But it’s the team’s record in June, July, and the portion of August that was played prior to the work stoppage that paints a more precise picture of dominance. Posting 46 wins and only 18 losses over their last 64 games – an astounding winning percentage of .718 – the young and powerful Expos had hit their stride. The team got its first taste of first place in the National League East on July 8 when, following a 14-0 win over the Padres in San Diego, they caught the Atlanta Braves in the standings. Montreal and Atlanta seesawed atop the East for close to two weeks, but on July 20, after the third victory of what ultimately became an eight-game winning streak, the Expos grabbed first place for good. Not only were they running away with the division, they were steamrolling their way into the playoffs and, with confidence and poise to go along with their talent, a trip to the World Series seemed inevitable. By the time the 1994 season came to its premature end, the Expos were 6 games up on the Braves and not looking back.

But looking back is what brings us here tonight, twenty years after the Montreal Expos’ finest hour, twenty years after Nos Amours posted the best record in the Major Leagues. For Expos fans, it was the moment we had waited so long for. We all know what happened next – we all hate what happened next – but why dwell there? Time has the power to heal, to trade bitterness for hope, and to teach us the moment we’d waited so long for is actually still there. Try it for yourself. Can you remember? We had it. We tasted it. We felt it. It didn’t last for as long as it should have, but it happened. The 1994 Montreal Expos were a very special team. The 1994 Montreal Expos were the best team in baseball. The 1994 Montreal Expos are still champions in our hearts.

And nobody can take that away from us.

À l'arrière/Back row: Joey Eischen, Sean Berry, Cliff Floyd, Wil Cordero, Marquis Grissom, Tim Scott, Moises Alou, Larry Walker, Tim Spehr, Rondell White, Heath Haynes, Denis Boucher, Gil Heredia, Pierre Arsenault. À l'avant/Front row: John Wetteland, Ken Hill, Joe Kerrigan, Felipe Alou, Kevin Malone, Darrin Fletcher, Lou Frazier.

1994 Expos Memorabilia Signing Session

One hour prior to the kickoff of Montreal Baseball Project’s gala to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1994 Expos, the team assembled to sign memorabilia items, many of which were part of a silent auction later that night that raised $30,000 for the ALS Society of Quebec. It was yet another chance for the former teammates to catch up – and they took the time to pose for an informal and memorable team photo.

Photographs by Andrew Soong

Game 2: 1994 Expos Honoured at Olympic Stadium

Montreal baseball fans packed Olympic Stadium for a second day in a row on March 29, 2014 when the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets played a second of two exhibition games. The first pitch was preceded by a stirring ceremony to honour the 1994 Montreal Expos. Twenty years after posting the best record in baseball, twenty members of the team were introduced on the field before 50,299 delirious fans. With a total attendance figure of over 96,000 for the two exhibition games, Montreal left no doubt in anybody’s mind that it wants Major League Baseball back.

Photographs by Andrew Soong

Olympic Stadium Press Conference, March 29, 2014

On Saturday, March 29, 2014, the 1994 Montreal Expos traveled as a team from their hotel to Olympic Stadium in the morning. A press conference was held, featuring Toronto Blue Jays’ President Paul Beeston, General Manager Alex Anthopoulos, Montreal Baseball Project President and Founder Warren Cromartie, Simon Arsenault of evenko, and Olympic Park President Michel Labrecque.

Photographs by Andrew Soong

Game 1: Gary Carter Tribute

Montreal’s historic baseball weekend got underway Friday, March 28, 2014 as Major League Baseball returned to Olympic Stadium for the first time in nearly a decade. The Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets played an exhibition game before 46,121 fans in the Montreal Expos’ former home. The game was preceded by a touching pre-game ceremony in honour of the late Expos great Gary Carter. The Hall of Famer’s wife Sandy Carter and daughter Kimmy Bloemers were on hand, as were Carter’s teammates Tim Raines, Steve Rogers, and Warren Cromartie. Cromartie elicited a loud and boisterous reaction from the crowd when he shouted, “Let’s bring baseball back to Montreal!” Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, a great baseball fan, threw out the ceremonial first pitch dressed in an MBP jersey and Expos jacket.

Photographs by Andrew Soong

Gala Lineup

Montreal Baseball Project is filling out its lineup card. We are pleased to reveal the members of the 1994 Expos who will attend our 20th-Anniversary Gala for the "Best Team in Baseball" on March 29. This is a team that captured our city's imagination. They still remain champions in our hearts.

We can't wait to cheer them on again!

For tickets, visit our EVENTS page »

Seize the Game

Seize The Game

Visit the Gala event page for details »

The Journey Continues

MPB President and Founder Warren Cromartie meets the press to announce feasibility study launch.

Montreal Baseball Project President and Founder Warren Cromartie today announced that MBP, in collaboration with the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal (BTMM), Ernst & Young and BCF LLP, has launched a feasibility and survey study to examine the possibility of bringing a Major League Baseball franchise back to Montreal.

“I am pleased to see that the idea of bringing Major League Baseball back to Montreal is taken seriously by a group of talented business people who are dedicated to the city's economic development,” said Cromartie. “I would like to thank the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal for mobilizing the business community,” he added.

“We want to determine if Quebec's largest city has the necessary conditions to welcome back a Major League Baseball team,” explained Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the BTMM. “Step by step, we are exploring the possibility and we expect to have the results of the feasibility study by the end of 2013.”

Mr. Cromartie and Mr. Leblanc also emphasized the work of the firms involved in the project that are generously providing their time and expertise. Ernst & Young's project team in charge of analyzing the related financial aspects will be overseen by Sylvain Vincent, Managing Partner for Eastern Canada, and led by Daniel Roth and William Jegher, Quebec leaders for Ernst & Young's Infrastructure Advisory and Transaction Real Estate practices, respectively. Richard Epstein, a business lawyer at BCF and co-leader of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions practice, will be leading a team to examine the legal and financing structures of the project and real estate matters. Polling firm Leger Marketing will evaluate the interest of the public and the business community. The BTMM, which is acting as a facilitator for the study, is providing 50% of the funding, while the other half is provided by a group of individuals in the business community.

“This is just the next stage in a journey I started on a year ago,” Cromartie said. “We have to take this one step at a time, knowing that this will take some time to accomplish. But let me make this clear: Montreal is a baseball town and it always will be a baseball town. We are looking forward to bringing a Major League franchise back.”

Richard Epstein, Warren Cromartie, Michel Leblanc, and Sylvain Vincent, March 20, 2013

Gala Evening

Dorval

Golf Tournament

Saint-Leonard

’81 Expos honoured by the Montreal Alouettes

Autograph Session

Video Gallery

Baseball in Montreal

The Best Outfield in Baseball, 1977-80: Warren Cromartie, Andre Dawson, and Ellis Valentine