Chattanooga Lookouts owner Frank Burke said today he’ll leave as the manager of Finley Stadium unless he gets a commitment by March 15 for added financial support to run the facility.

Mr. Burke said he has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars since taking over operational management of the Southside facility in 2005.

“I need to know. I have another job,” he said at a meeting of Stadium Corp. board.

Bryan Patten, chairman of the panel that runs the football facility, said Mr. Burke has indicated he needs $180,000 in operational support.

Mr. Patten said he expects to seek $60,000 each from the city and county, as well as funds from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga above the $25,000 it put toward support in 2007.

Mr. Patten said the stadium could contribute roughly $12,000 as well.

Last year, the city, county and UTC approved over $145,000 in funds for operations of the facility. Despite that infusion, Mr. Burke said he’ll sustain an extra $30,000 loss.

Mr. Patten he has had talks with another party he did not name to run the facility if Mr. Burke opts out, which would occur this summer when his contract runs out.

But, Mr. Patten said he’d like for Mr. Burke to continue to run the facility. He said he’d like for UTC to eventually take over operations of the stadium.

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