Every so often a story like this pops up and drives folks into the Florida vs. Arizona spring training discussion, so let the debate begin anew --
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Next up for City of Palms in Fort Myers, Brewers, Nationals or ... Dolphins?
By DANA CALDWELL, Naples (FL) News
FORT MYERS - Although the Sarasota County Commission voted Wednesday night to approve an agreement to host spring training for the Baltimore Orioles for the next three decades, Lee County commission chair Ray Judah was not ready to toss in the towel Thursday.
Lee County officials had hoped the Orioles would use the City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, which will be left by the Boston Red Sox for a new stadium in the county in 2012. Judah still was in the batter's box early Thursday afternoon.
"I still haven't necessarily acquiesced to the fact that the Orioles are leaving," Judah said. "There's still a lot of specific language that needs to be worked out on that memorandum of understanding before the Orioles and Sarasota complete the deal."
The Orioles and Sarasota County will spend $31.2 million on a renovation of Ed Smith Stadium, where the Orioles -- who have spent springs in Fort Lauderdale since 1996 -- will have spring training next year.
Even if the O's go to Sarasota, Judah believes Lee County could have other options in the not-too-distant future.
"Yeah, we've looked at other alternatives in case things don't work out with the Orioles," Judah said.
Judah said John Yarbrough, the former Lee County Parks and Recreation director who last week was named the Miami Dolphins' liaison to Southwest Florida, "had been in touch with the (Milwaukee) Brewers because we weren't certain that things would work out with the Orioles. That was the initial contact. It's my understanding ... that the Milwaukee Brewers are not real pleased with their current situation in Arizona.
"And the Washington Nationals are going to be somewhat isolated where they are -- in Brevard County. The West Coast (of Florida) is more of a mecca and setting for Major League Baseball teams. It would seem to be something that the Washington Nationals might want to consider, relocating to the West Coast of Florida."
The Brewers' agreement in Arizona runs through 2012. The Orioles' move to Sarasota -- if it goes through -- would leave the Nationals in Viera, the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, who share Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, and the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie as the only spring training teams who train on the East Coast.
Judah even mentioned the possibility of the Dolphins holding future late-summer training camp in Fort Myers, citing "casual conversation" with Mike Dee, the former CEO of the Red Sox and current Dolphins CEO.
"We talked about the current situation over there at Nova (Southeastern) University where they have their training camp, and it's not ideal," Judah said. "Mike certainly likes the West Coast. It would be, certainly, a desirable opportunity for the Dolphins if they would consider relocating their facilities to the City of Palms Park. Then we can reconfigure, remodel and renovate for a football facility.
"But there was nothing definitive or anything concrete. We were just talking about that as a potential in the future."
Said Yarbrough: "We don't have anything at this point that would work for the Dolphins. I think right now, they're happy where they are. I think Ray was simply throwing out any idea for the City of Palms, if we don't get a baseball team."
Link while active, text follows:
Next up for City of Palms in Fort Myers, Brewers, Nationals or ... Dolphins?
By DANA CALDWELL, Naples (FL) News
FORT MYERS - Although the Sarasota County Commission voted Wednesday night to approve an agreement to host spring training for the Baltimore Orioles for the next three decades, Lee County commission chair Ray Judah was not ready to toss in the towel Thursday.
Lee County officials had hoped the Orioles would use the City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, which will be left by the Boston Red Sox for a new stadium in the county in 2012. Judah still was in the batter's box early Thursday afternoon.
"I still haven't necessarily acquiesced to the fact that the Orioles are leaving," Judah said. "There's still a lot of specific language that needs to be worked out on that memorandum of understanding before the Orioles and Sarasota complete the deal."
The Orioles and Sarasota County will spend $31.2 million on a renovation of Ed Smith Stadium, where the Orioles -- who have spent springs in Fort Lauderdale since 1996 -- will have spring training next year.
Even if the O's go to Sarasota, Judah believes Lee County could have other options in the not-too-distant future.
"Yeah, we've looked at other alternatives in case things don't work out with the Orioles," Judah said.
Judah said John Yarbrough, the former Lee County Parks and Recreation director who last week was named the Miami Dolphins' liaison to Southwest Florida, "had been in touch with the (Milwaukee) Brewers because we weren't certain that things would work out with the Orioles. That was the initial contact. It's my understanding ... that the Milwaukee Brewers are not real pleased with their current situation in Arizona.
"And the Washington Nationals are going to be somewhat isolated where they are -- in Brevard County. The West Coast (of Florida) is more of a mecca and setting for Major League Baseball teams. It would seem to be something that the Washington Nationals might want to consider, relocating to the West Coast of Florida."
The Brewers' agreement in Arizona runs through 2012. The Orioles' move to Sarasota -- if it goes through -- would leave the Nationals in Viera, the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, who share Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, and the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie as the only spring training teams who train on the East Coast.
Judah even mentioned the possibility of the Dolphins holding future late-summer training camp in Fort Myers, citing "casual conversation" with Mike Dee, the former CEO of the Red Sox and current Dolphins CEO.
"We talked about the current situation over there at Nova (Southeastern) University where they have their training camp, and it's not ideal," Judah said. "Mike certainly likes the West Coast. It would be, certainly, a desirable opportunity for the Dolphins if they would consider relocating their facilities to the City of Palms Park. Then we can reconfigure, remodel and renovate for a football facility.
"But there was nothing definitive or anything concrete. We were just talking about that as a potential in the future."
Said Yarbrough: "We don't have anything at this point that would work for the Dolphins. I think right now, they're happy where they are. I think Ray was simply throwing out any idea for the City of Palms, if we don't get a baseball team."
