Schaumburg Flyers sued over $22,000 in unpaid merchandise

Just days shy of an anticipated sale of the team, the Schaumburg Flyers are being sued by one of their vendors for nonpayment of $22,230 for promotional merchandise produced for the current season.

Bartlett-based Parley Promotions delivered a variety of merchandise with the Flyers' name and logo on it in the spring and is still awaiting payment, company owner Terry Hedien said.

The closing of the Northern League team's sale by a group of investors led by managing partner Rich Ehrenreich to a new group headed by Adriano Pedrelli is still expected before the end of the month.

Pedrelli said he's aware the team he's buying has some outstanding debts, but these are all expected to be resolved at the closing of the sale. For a vendor to file suit now might only delay the closing, he said.

For now, though, that process still seems on track, with the Northern League's other owners having just given their approval to the sale.

One of those owners is Ehrenreich himself, who also co-owns the Zion-based Lake County Fielders with "Field of Dreams" star Kevin Costner. The Fielders are still in their first season while the Flyers -- which Ehrenreich also started -- are now in their 12th.

Ehrenreich's investment group also owes the village of Schaumburg and Schaumburg Park District $580,000 in back rent at Alexian Field, a debt that also is expected to be resolved at the closing.

Hedien said that while the parties involved in the sale may be urging patience, no one is personally telling him anything.

"This has really wreaked havoc with our credit rating with our vendors," he said.

The first scheduled hearing date on the newly filed lawsuit is Aug. 9, by which time the closing of the team's sale is expected to be complete and its outstanding debts resolved, the parties to the sale said.