Weston Wamp
Emails released on Friday show Lookouts owners saying they turned down Weston Wamp's quest to become a team executive after remarks he made about a black and a woman.
The emails also show Weston Wamp, the Republican nominee for county mayor, and his father, former Congressman Zach Wamp, pushing for Weston to have a large role at the Lookouts. The Wamps also discuss helping out with moving the Lookouts to a new stadium. Weston Wamp now opposes the stadium move, and city and county officials are racing to try to get the deal in place before he may take office on Sept. 1.
County Commission members David Sharpe and Sabrena Smedley on Wednesday said they wanted to see the emails, and they were delivered to them on Friday afternoon as well as to Democratic county mayor candidate Matt Adams. Weston Wamp earlier declined to release them, saying they were "private".
Jason Freier, Lookouts managing owner, said on Friday, "These emails were not supplied to anyone by the Lookouts or by me personally and we have not supplied any comment or other information regarding the emails’ contents.
"We (the Lookouts and I) have resisted all calls to disclose these emails publicly (to public officials or the media), choosing at every turn to stick to discussing the merits of the project that is now under consideration. People not currently associated with the team were a party to some emails and we cannot control what any such individual does or has done. But we would like it to be clear that the Lookouts and I personally have not and are not currently participating in any disclosure of email correspondence with anyone, nor are we participating in the discussion thereof."
Officials of the Lamp Post Group said Friday, "We have known Weston for many years and have never heard him make racist or sexist remarks. Mr. Freier’s account of a meeting eight years ago is inconsistent with our memory of that conversation. The stadium issue aside, we are supporters of Weston and look forward to his leadership as our next county mayor."
Weston Wamp said after release of the emails, "Jason Freier and his operatives have apparently leaked emails attacking my character with vicious lies in a desperate attempt to get his hands on taxpayer dollars for a new stadium. It is part of an attempt to intimidate me and coerce me to support a new stadium. I unequivocally deny ever making racist or sexist remarks.
"Lookouts’ owner Jason Freier has threatened for weeks to release emails regarding a private business investment made by Lamp Post Group eight years ago. Under Tennessee law, those efforts amount to extortion of a candidate for public office by Freier and others working in support of a new stadium.
"As the emails from December 2014 and January 2015 reveal, my position is largely unchanged: a new, privately funded Lookouts stadium would be great for Chattanooga and the Wheland Foundry site would be a logical place for a new stadium to be located. What has changed since my discussions eight years ago is that taxpayers are currently being asked to assume all risk and pay for the new stadium up front with Lookouts owners putting up no money initially. My discussions with the Lookouts owners in December of 2014 and January of 2015 were about a privately funded stadium in cooperation with local elected leaders, a far cry from the $80 million publicly funded stadium that has been proposed.
"The emails also directly contradict Freier’s claim that they 'didn’t want (me) to be associated with the team.' In fact, I was offered a position with the team, but on January 28, 2015, I declined a request to meet with Jason Freier and John Woods and told them, 'I have spent some time reconsidering whether this is a good fit for me. I’m not sure that it is.' That was the last communication I had with Freier, although I remained a minority owner of the Lookouts until 2018.
"Freier is not an honest man and has conducted an elaborate smear campaign on me in the final stages of an important local election.
"Freier is known for holding minor league baseball teams hostage and demanding taxpayer-funded stadiums or else he would move the team. Despite my love of baseball, I wanted nothing to do with that unethical business practice.
"Freier’s attempts to intimidate me are a part of his playbook and his sense of entitlement to the taxpayer dollars of Hamilton County citizens is disgusting. As I have said for weeks, the proposed baseball stadium needs to be fully vetted and the rushed timeline to get it approved need to slow down. It is unfortunate that this has become such a distraction from the election at hand, although that is likely Freier’s intention."
An email from Mr. Freier on April 10, 2018, says, "As we considered this, in mid-January of 2015, we invited Weston to a meeting at AT&T Field with the staff of the Lookouts and the visiting leadership of two other minor league teams operated by my partner.
"In the hour that Weston was at that meeting, he made a racist comment directed at our then second-in-command with the Lookouts (an African-American) and another inappropriate comment directed at a visiting female staffer.
"Knowing that we could not have someone who behaved as Weston did associated with the Lookouts, we spoke to his then-employer (who is part-owner of the Lookouts) and his father and let them know Weston would not be working with the team and why."
Mr. Freier said in a separate email on April 9, 2018, to officials of the Lamp Post Group where Weston Wamp at one time worked, "We have kept quiet and taken the high road as he has bad-mouthed us around town and tried to undermine a project he knows nothing about (likely for no other reason other than vindictiveness - he thought a new ballpark was a good idea when he was begging us for a job with the team).
"I know Weston no longer works for you all, but, given your history with him, I wanted to check with you before we 'go nuclear' and release the truth about Weston and his history with us.
"As you will remember, Weston was very aggressive in seeking a role with the team. At first he tried to convince John Woods that we should fire Rich Mozingo and that he should be president of the Lookouts. Obviously, he had no experience and from a few meetings we determined that he had no clue."
Mr. Freier said, after the alleged derogatory Weston Wamp remarks, he came in to see Lamp Post Group officials Barry Large and Allan Davis. He said, "Barry and Allan were completely understanding (and, quite frankly, didn't seem shocked at Weston's behavior)."
The Wamps were initially meeting with John Woods, who later would face allegations in Federal Court that he was running a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme.
Zach Wamp said on Aug. 11, 2014, just after Weston had lost a race for the Third District Congressional seat he once held, "We have a great interest in both being involved as you go through your 'due diligence' and ultimately being part of the Lookouts organization. We have investors if you desire and can put 'skin in the game' as well."
Weston Wamp said in an email to John Woods and Jason Freier on Aug. 22, 2014, "Really enjoyed meeting you guys yesterday. Since I've been in business in Chattanooga I've had my eyes on transforming the Lookouts back into a real asset to our community and the best AA club in the nation.
"When you get a chance, look up what Lamp Post Group has done in four years. We have gone far beyond the traditional role of a venture capital outfit and support our companies with virtually all back office services, in addition to marketing and sales. A few of our companies have already scaled nationally based on our sales efforts. I have no doubt that LPG as well as the Wamps would love to be a part of the team that leads a Lookouts move to new land, new stadium and a new future."
Zach Wamp wrote on Aug. 27, 2014, "Lots of moving parts in Chattanooga right now that make your move on the Lookouts very key! Let's do this and move quickly to get leadership support for the relocation of the stadium. Weston and I are pumped and want to be a part of it. He really wants to step in with his time."
Zach Wamp then arranged a meeting with the city and county mayors on the stadium project and also got former mayor Jon Kinsey and his partner, Ben Probasco, in on the talks.
He suggested that Weston sit in on the meeting with the mayors, while he stayed away.
Weston Wamp, on Sept. 5, 2014, wrote to John Woods concerning the Lamp Post Group, "I think their interest level is high, but would be most interested in a creative partnership of some type. The team is not a typical investment for our group simply because of the nature of the business, but it's right in our sweet spot as doing something that will matter in Chattanooga long term.
"I can't stress enough how we believe the pitch here is that the new stadium will lead to massive development, recurring tax revenue and could replace one of the blights of Chattanooga with a jewel. Secondarily, moving the stadium will also lead to a massive development (and tax rev) opportunity on the land it currently sits. It's a two for one for public officials.
"That said, I am the person at Lamp Post that has the availability to lead a new project at the current time. Naturally, when one of us has time to play a role, the whole organization gets behind it. My question about your timing stems from needing to make a decision in the next few weeks about some other deals based on my potential involvement here. Knowing that Jason will be running the traps from the highest level gives me an idea of what type of role I could be needed in. Our group's strengths are in management, marketing, and sales and obviously I feel well positioned to lead the stadium development given my familiarity with all the players that we would need to cooperate.
"I believe Lamp Post's involvement would cause a lot of people to think that moving the stadium would be 1) wise financially and 2) good for Chattanooga.
"Let me know how you could see us all working together and I would be glad to approach them to talk further. Much of Allan and Barry's interest, beyond doing something good for Chattanooga, is driven from wanting me to jump into something post politics that I can run with that would have some benefit to all of us in the long haul."
Zach Wamp told John Woods on Sept. 10, 2014, that Weston "would be a great long term associate for you and has tons of equity in politics, media and sports. I hope something good develops and am very grateful that you have allowed him (us) to work with you.
"Jeff has probably told you this, but I am very fortunate to be in a very good position financially and my portfolio of clients/equity positions are robust.
"If I can help in any way, I will but my singular goal is for Weston to transition back out of politics (for now at least) into a direction that keeps his juices flowing. The Lookouts and your business interests are his sweet spot."
Weston Wamp wrote to Lookouts officials, "Logistically, I could envision a marketing/local management relationship being formed with Lamp Post that would allow me to spend most of my time in an executive role with the Lookouts while engaging our team at LPG as consultants and strategists as the Lookouts are rebirthed in the 'Woods era.'
"In a nutshell, our mission would be to develop the strategy to relaunch the franchise as something better, more relevant and vastly cooler than it currently is. And in the process, reengage the right local players as advertisers, box owners, etc.
"My personal mission would be to carefully develop and control the brand, voice and game experience of the franchise so that it appeals to Chattanoogans - even the ones who don't think they care about the Lookouts - and prepare the team for its new home along the banks of the river.
"From a marketing standpoint, the Lookouts brand has been lost for many years. It's become flat at a time when the city has bustled with new energy. Now it's time to take it back and make it into something special.
"I would love to be a big part of it, but I think it will take a drastically new approach even before a new stadium is built."
In still another email, Weston Wamp said he could "run the publicity campaign to build a new stadium and lead the re-development of an entire part of town. Not to mention, having a face of the franchise who is intimately connected with a lot of the major players in business will help turn the dial, put butts in seats and drive advertising revenue."
Zach Wamp eventually said he would put $50,000 into the venture. He said it was his hope that the Lookouts would pay Weston at least $2,500 per month plus commissions.
Weston Wamp later said their investment would be $100,000. He said "with a kid on the way" he hoped to be paid at least $3,000 per month. He proposed that he be given a vice president of marketing post and be the spokesman for the club.
Jason Freier told the Wamps on Dec. 2, 2014, that the Lookouts front office was no place to get rich. He said the second-highest full-time employee made less than $40,000.
He said, "We hope to bring the team to much bigger and better things and that there will be an opportunity for some folks to earn meaningfully more than that, but it will take years to remake the team into a strong community asset and a profitable business."
Jason Freier expressed his dismay when Weston Wamp later wrote a newspaper editorial opposing the stadium move.
Zach Wamp told John Woods, "I am on my way to DC and support him 100% on what he has stated. Many other leaders do as well. Stadium will stay right where it is."