Michael Thiessen

Mike Thiessen, Simmons' consultant, said then that no decision on whether the team would be moved to Marion would be made until Simmons' group took ownership of the club, with hopes of opening the ballpark by the 2007 season's start.

Mike Thiessen, Simmons' consultant, said then that no decision on whether the team would be moved to Marion would be made until Simmons' group took ownership of the club.

A Chicago-based consultant to Simmons' baseball group, Michael Thiessen, on Monday said "we're clearly not worried about the investigation."

"The last time we looked nothing related to economic development was partisan," Thiessen said.
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Thiessen declined to clarify that matter Monday, saying, "We've got to fill out a multitude of paperwork before we own that club."
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Thiessen said Simmons' group hopes to have the ballpark built and a team in place by the start of the 2007 season.

Messages were left Wednesday with John Simmons, an East Alton, Ill., attorney heading up the Marion baseball effort, and Mike Thiessen, Simmons' consultant.
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Thiessen said at that time there was a chance the group would move the South Bend team to Marion, but that no decisions would be made until Simmons' group took ownership of the club.
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Thiessen has said the group hoped to have the ballpark built and a team in place by the start of the 2007 season.

The Silver Hawks, a Class A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, have been in South Bend since 1988.

A Chicago-based consultant to Simmons' baseball group, Michael Thiessen, on Monday said "we're clearly not worried about the investigation.""The last time we looked, nothing related to economic development was partisan," Thiessen said.

"There have been some speed bumps," said Michael Thiessen, a Chicago-based spokesman for Simmons' group."If the journey was easy, it would be no fun."

Simmons was in London on business Wednesday and was unavailable for comment, Thiessen said.
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Thiessen said Simmons' group already had secured a loan covering most of the 4,000-seat venue's expected $13 million price tag -- an amount that will be offset a bit by revenue from a sales tax increase approved by Marion.
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Simmons' wife, Jayne, is to be the club's legal owner, Thiessen said.

Simmons already owns the South Atlantic League's Savannah (Ga.) Sand Gnats of Class A, but he made clear he had no plans to bring them to southern Illinois, where from the turn of the 20th century to the advent of television minor-league teams played from Harrisburg to Cairo.

A Chicago-based consultant to Simmons' baseball group, Michael Thiessen, on Monday said."We're clearly not worried about the investigation."

"The last time we looked, nothing related to economic development was partisan," Thiessen said.
...
Thiessen declined to clarify the matter Monday, saying, "We've got to fill out a multitude of paperwork before we own that club."
...
Thiessen said Simmons' group hopes to have the ballpark built and a team in place by the start of the 2007 season.