ST. LOUIS — The Lima Express are heading out of town and going west after the Midwest Professional Basketball Association (MPBA) announced Sunday the team was relocating to Bloomington, Ill.
In a prepared statement from the league, it said the Lima (Ohio) Express franchise will relocate to Bloomington, Ill., for the 2017 season, which tips off in January.
Lewis Shine, owner and general manager of the Express, said it came down to financial reasons for the team moving to a new city.
“In discussing it we saw this as our best option to go with,” Shine said. “Not being the owner is going to be tough for me. I tried to make it work. I tried to touch with the community. I tried to touch with the schools but when it came down to it the business just wasn’t there.
“In a nutshell that was the deciding factor.”
Shine said he feels he let his city down but remains positive about the time the Express spent in Lima.
The Express, founded in 2013, joined the MPBA in 2016 as one of the league’s first expansion team. However the team never drew the crowds initially anticipated when they were brought into the MPBA.
“As I reflect on things I am grateful for the support I received here and I am grateful we had the opportunity we were given but the finances just weren’t there,” he said.
According to a statement from the MPBA, “The plan was always to return to Bloomington and U.S. Cellular Coliseum,” said C. Edward “Ed” Schumer, commissioner and chief executive officer for the MPBA. “We didn’t think it would happen quite this soon, but the new management team at VenuWorks initiated the discussion about a team after we approached them about having the tournament there again.”
Shine will remain involved with the MPBA, but will no longer own the club.
“I’m still here in the community and want to contribute,” Shine said. “It just won’t be with the Express but hopefully in another form.”
The MPBA launched in 2015 with six teams, and played the 2016 season with seven teams: the Swarm, 66ers, Express, Windy City Groove, St. Louis RiverSharks, Gateway Steam, and eventual champion Chicago Blues.
