The Chattanooga Lookouts are going shopping.

Lookouts owner Frank Burke is expected to send a letter to the Minor League Association this week that expresses his desire to look around for a partnership with a new parent club. The Lookouts have been Class AA affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds since 1988, a stretch of 21 seasons that may have ended Monday with Chattanooga’s win over Huntsville at AT&T Field.

Burke, the Lookouts owner since 1995, is prohibited from discussing whether or not he has filed the letter. He declined comment Wednesday on any questions concerning future player development contracts.

Reds player development director Terry Reynolds on Wednesday maintained his desire to return to Chattanooga in 2009.

“If Frank has filed, that’s another step in the process, and we’ll see where it goes from here,” Reynolds said. “My goal from the beginning was to go back there, and I’m still hoping that will happen.”

The Minor League Association will release a list of major league clubs seeking new Double-A affiliates between Sept. 12-15. New partnerships can be discussed between Sept. 16-30.

There are seven big-league teams in addition to Cincinnati that have yet to renew player development contracts with their Double-A teams: Florida, Milwaukee, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees and Dodgers are the most recognized teams on that list, but the Yankees are expected to stay with the Eastern League’s Trenton Thunder.

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