The end of spring training in Fort Lauderdale?
So some politicians and tourism officials aren’t ready to give up on keeping the nearly 50-year-old tradition of spring training at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. But are you?
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle, Broward County Mayor Lois Wexler, and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau President Nicki Grossman are all waxing about the lovely afternoons at the intimate 8,340-seat stadium, the tourists who visit every year and pump more than $25 million into the local economy.
It’s been home to the Baltimore Orioles for the past 13 springs and will be again in 2009. Before that, the New York Yankees spent 34 years spring training there.
But that is likely to change now that the Federal Aviation Administration has decided that in order for the team to stay, the annual payment to the airport fund must be $1.3 million. That’s up from the $70,000 to $120,000 the Orioles typically pay. That figure has been based on 5 percent of the gross revenues generated at the stadium.
Now that the Orioles are seeking a long-term lease to go with a $40 million overhaul of the venue (being financed with the help of tourist taxes from Broward county and a state sales tax rebate), the FAA says it must receive fair market value for the property, a figure it places at $1.3 million. If the Orioles were still on a year-to-year lease, this issue would never have surfaced. The stadium sits on airport land that was deeded to the city of Fort Lauderdale in the 1940s.
The Orioles, who are said to have an option agreement to move to Dodgertown in Vero Beach, which is being vacated by the Los Angeles Dodgers, aren’t saying anything publicly other than they are disappointed with the FAA’s decision.
U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, who had helped broker meetings among the FAA, Fort Lauderdale and Orioles officials, wants to make sure the FAA is reading the law governing the lease of airport property accurately and if it’s not, whether the payment can be reduced.
There was a time when spring training was rampant in these parts: the Yankees in Fort Lauderdale, the Orioles in Miami, the Texas Rangers in Pompano Beach, the Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves in West Palm Beach. Those teams have moved on. The bus rides get longer for the Orioles, whose closest spring rivals are now in Jupiter or Fort Myers.
Would you miss it if it were to leave? Do you want to see Fort Lauderdale Stadium preserved? Take our poll here.
Comments
I think Drew has the right idea. We need MORE pro ball in S FL, not less. I would LOVE to see the O's have an FSL team in FtL. That would be very cool, in my view.
Posted by: pete | July 12, 2008 4:24 PM
I always go to spring training in FLL. I will definitely miss it. Please vote for Max at espn.com/earnyourstripes to go to the ESPY awards in LA. He is from Fort Lauderdale running against other kids in the country.
Posted by: Cheryl | June 7, 2008 6:58 PM
As much as I love baseball and spring training it doesn't make much sense for the City to knock down Lockhart Stadium and spend almost $40 million on a baseball stadium to be used for a little over a month by out of towners and drunk college kids on spring break. How about they do what the other cities in Florida have done to keep and/or attract teams while still making decent coin.
Spend the money on the stadium, pay the fees the FAA is asking (or a slightly lower negotiated price) and require the Orioles to keep a Single-A Florida State League team there for the length of their spring training lease. Once the Marlins move south to Miami you are going to have a huge chunk of alienated baseball fans living in Broward and Southern Palm Beach county and they are going to need their fix, a minor league team will be perfect for that.
And before the Marlins come in and start complaining (and they will) that you can't have a Minor League Team that close to a Major League team, they'd just have to look around at the 11 other major league teams that have at least one minor league team within 40 miles of its home field. Teams like Tampa (3), NYY (2), NYM (2) Philly (2) Seattle (2) DC (2) and Cleveland (2) have more than one within 40 miles. And those are only the affiliated minor leagues, if you include the indy leagues there are 20 teams with more than one or more within 40 miles.
This area needs MORE baseball, not less. This would also enable the city and the team to raise enough money to pay that rediculous lease fee to the FAA and that doesn't even consider the possibility of the city creating a smaller 'ballpark district' of shops and restaraunts immideately surrounding the stadium that would easily get 7 or 8 months or heavy use.
Posted by: Drew | June 4, 2008 12:21 AM
Fort Lauderdale stadium is a landmark. In the mid 70's we attended minor league Yankees games faithfully and would travel the state, following the minors to their games. This is the best baseball stadium in the world - unlike Miami, where your knees stick into the back of the person sitting in front of you. Years ago there was a thought of turning the stadium into a water slide park. UGH! Keep the stadium as it is and keep baseball alive in Broward. And go Yankees and go Orioles!
Posted by: Ginny | June 3, 2008 12:20 PM
There was nothing like Spring Training when the Yankees trained at Ft. Lauderdale Stadium. My friends and I would stand by the bleacher fence and talk to the likes of Roger Maris, Bobby Murcer, Ron Guidry, Roy White, and Gene Michael face to face. The list could go on and on. And if we were lucky we would see Mantle in the outfield and Whitey pitching. What a wonderful stadium! And during the summer when the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees were playing there you would have the opportunity to see all the future Yankee stars. There was not a bad seat in the house.
Every time I drive by the stadium I am flooded with many, many memories. I hope they don't tear it down. It's a little like Ft. Lauderdale history to me!!!!
Posted by: Debbie Wells | June 3, 2008 12:01 PM
Yes, I would miss spring training in Fort Lauderdale immensely. though I am not an Orioles fan, I attend almost every game here. It is the best way for a MLB fan to view the sport, with its intimate setting and chance to talk to the players without seeking an autograph. You get a chance to see the up and coming stars in this game and to get ready, as a fan, for the coming season...GO MARLINS.
Posted by: les | June 3, 2008 11:25 AM
Yes, I would miss spring training in Fort Lauderdale immensely. though I am not an Orioles fan, I attend almost every game here. It is the best way for a MLB fan to view the sport, with its intimate setting and chance to talk to the players without seeking an autograph. You get a chance to see the up and coming stars in this game and to get ready, as a fan, for the coming season...GO MARLINS.
Posted by: les | June 3, 2008 11:24 AM
Yes, I would miss spring training in Fort Lauderdale immensely. though I am not an Orioles fan, I attend almost every game here. It is the best way for a MLB fan to view the sport, with its intimate setting and chance to talk to the players without seeking an autograph. You get a chance to see the up and coming stars in this game and to get ready, as a fan, for the coming season...GO MARLINS.
Posted by: les | June 3, 2008 11:24 AM