65° SUNNY, Sarasota works on Sox site details
County expert hammers out costs for putting ballpark at Payne Park
Last Modified: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 7:09 a.m.
SARASOTA - Now that Payne Park is the chosen ground for a proposed Red Sox stadium, some of the details will be ironed out during the next few weeks.
Even as Tropical Storm Fay bore down on Southwest Florida on Monday, Sarasota County's finance expert worked on the numbers -- including the cost for the stadium and updated practice fields two miles away at Ed Smith Stadium. Last week, the team's top executives requested more information about the project.
Local elected officials are poised to fast track negotiations with the team.
On Monday afternoon, city commissioners unanimously approved a land purchase that would set aside 1.2 acres for either the stadium or shops and restaurants built next to the stadium.
The County Commission casts the final vote on the purchase Aug. 26.
Some lurking questions remain. The biggest unknown is if the stadium will fit on a corner of the park without wiping away walking trails or ponds.
City Manager Robert Bartolotta estimates that a compact stadium would take no more than six acres. But if the Red Sox ask for batting cages, a pitching area and a practice area, the required footprint begins to grow.
City Commissioner Kelly Kirschner said talks with the Red Sox about specific features of the stadium "have not gotten to that point yet."
Ballpark supporters were at City Hall to celebrate the vote.
"I think it's going to happen," said an excited Millie Small after the city's vote.
"It's a big step," added Elsie Souza, head of Citizens for Sox. "To have a specified site they can talk to the Red Sox about, that is a big step.
"We only need four more votes next week," Souza said of the impending County Commission vote.
But not everyone was enthusiastic about the city and the county teaming up to spend $4.8 million on the land.
Bird Key resident Patricia Heinzerling asked why there was not an appraisal of the property. Bartolotta and Kirschner defended the buy as a good deal based on recent sales in the area. The city manager said the county is now conducting an appraisal of the land.
"People are hurting and we are cutting things that are important, and we are throwing money at a professional sports team," Heinzerling said.
Bartolotta worked with County Administrator Jim Ley and other local staffers in a group charged with trying to lure the Red Sox from Fort Myers, where the team has trained for the past 15 seasons.
Souza applauded the plan as a creative way to build a stadium within walking distance of Main Street.
Bartolotta gave his pitch for a stadium that he said would keep a historic tradition in a place where professional baseball was once played while also spurring revitalization along a stretch of road adjacent to downtown that has been somewhat of a problem area.
Paperwork that seals an agreement with three property owners specifies that the Scoreboard strip club and bar would close after the purchase is finalized. The agreement would allow a short-term lease for a veterinary clinic.
This story appeared in print on page BN1
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Comments
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August 18, 2008 10:30:50 pm
RE: http://www.heraldtribune.com/a...19/article/808190361
When the county was looking at this land did anyone stop and think about details such as parking, FULL PRACTICE FIELDS, batting cages, and even the smallest pitching area? This is terrible, does anyone realize that fort Myers has Batting cages, a pitching area, parking, and at least one minor league field all in one area. What are the Red Sox supposed to bite at here? The fact that its near restaurants and shops (and even at that point it is still at a questionable area). THe Red Sox sell out every game in Fort Myers so making the site more appealing probably isnt the biggest concern for them. The FUNCTIONABILITY of the complex is what needs to be enhaced. Keeping everything in one area would make everything organized and clean within their organization.So i guess the point im trying to make is that Sarasota isnt in the running for the Red Sox. In this economy it isn't possible to acquire the land neccesary for this team nor is this the economy to build a stadium. It is time for our community to step in and stop the unsensible spending from our government. They have already spent thousands on the hours people have spent trying to do this, thousands on an innacurate study, and millions on a site that isnt going to satisfy the Red Sox.Ultimately we as a county may have to suffer without spring training for a year or so but that doesnt mean that this part of our city will leave forever. It is time to decide what is more important a few weeks of baseball or the well being of the county. Revisiting this in a better economy will make sense in the end.
August 19, 2008 3:10:35 am
The down economy is exactly why this project is needed. At the least, it will provide local construction jobs for 12-18 months.
It certainly isn't the cure-all, but it sure could be a needed shot in the arm.
The additional parcels adajcent to Payne Park have not been purchased yet.
We don't know what the Red Sox think of the new proposal. Have you been to City of Palms Park? It's a beautiful park, but there is nothing around it. A downtown location within walking distance to restaurants and shops would be an enormous improvement.
August 19, 2008 4:40:32 am
Construction jobs,for all the illegal mexicans!Apparently you have never been on a construction site,as the only americans are the ones employing all the illegals.The government of this county as well as our country are a POS!!!!
August 19, 2008 5:22:17 am
Research Queen: I??ve seen you on multiple occasions mention the fact that building the Red Sox a multi-million dollar stadium is going to help the economy. Is the stadium going to create high paying jobs? The cost of living in Sarasota is too high for any person making a middle-class salary to live here. How is subsidizing a ballpark going to help this situation? Sure, some rich people living in a condo or a house in town can drive or walk to the ballpark, but the guy serving hotdogs, the girl working as a hostess at the hotel, they??ll be living in Bradenton or Port Charlotte because finding affordable housing in Sarasota is impossible (thanks to ignorant city planners).
If you??re really concerned about the economy, you might want to ??research? economics. I??d recommend Randy O??Toole??s ??the Best-Laid Plans.? It??s an excellent book about the problems with city planning. Sarasota planners are creating a congested city with inflated property values. Unless something changes, Sarasota is going to be a rich community with no young people. High paying jobs will leave the city to find a place that??s easier to find qualified help.Time and time again city leaders from all across the country are duped into subsidizing professional sports. Almost always it??s with the promise of economic growth, and every time it doesn??t happen.
August 19, 2008 5:25:59 am
Its obviouos that the pro-Sox people interviewed don't work full time and they must live close. T*R*A*F*F*I*C. Wait until it chokes the regular working people just trying to go to lunch or go home. If you like the Red Sox so much and Ft. Myers is so pretty, then go to Ft. Myers.
Research_queen, how do you figure a down econonmy will benefit from this multi-million dollar gamble? NOTHING is even agreed to by the Sox and the idiot city commissioners are spending money that could go to other vital services that we can all benefit from. Now they have to buy more parcels of land? More money from where??
For the huge amount of money the idiot commissioners and city manager are spending, don't you think it SHOULD be a cure-all???
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, you forgot your disclaimer so please allow me:
The Sarasota Hearld-Tribune is owned byt the New York Times which has a controlling interest in the Boston Red Sox and has a very personal and financial interest in the Sox coming to Sarasota.
How was that? Sorry if I got your words out of order or something.
August 19, 2008 5:41:53 am
When did the NYT/ Herald-Tribune/ Red Sox purchase our elected officials? They seem to be forgetting who votes to keep them in office. We need to be investing out tax dollars in education and REAL job opportunities. Not into the pockets of highly profitable sports teams.The tax commitment to a sports team is like having a gold-digger girlfriend. She will always want more $ from you. If someone will offer her better she will leave you without hesitation. If the city goes through on this awful plan, Sarasota will always have to provide better than what any other city (or Disney) is willing to provide at all times or we will be left with a big empty stadium. The Red Sox can always be bought. Just ask Ft. Myers.
August 19, 2008 5:55:53 am
City and County Commissioners don't work for the people - they work for their own self interests.
The people have told the city commission in the referendum vote that they did not want this, yet the self servants continue to pound away at the idea- Maybe the city is playing the lottery with the knowledge that some day they may win.
THE IDIOTS NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM OUR PIGGY BANK.
August 19, 2008 7:03:15 am
reasearch-queen and all you other Red Sox supporters make me laugh. You people have been caught up in the city & county brain wash like all the others. You have been scammed by Mr. Bobo the Clown our City Manager and the others using scare tactics and overblown statistics to get people on the Sox bandwagon.
You talk about JOBS. What Jobs? Construction jobs? Yes, that helps those that are in the construction business. But those jobs are still over a year away and then they are only temporary. Those jobs don't help the office workers, that I know, that have lost their jobs. What other jobs? Hot dog sellers. Those are only good for a month. What other jobs? What other 600 jobs that they mentioned. Where are they, what are they? Waiters, bus boys, cooks? All temporary for a month.
You obviously don't work downtown during the day. Traffic & Parking are a nightmare. Everyone trying to get their business done in that area have a parking problem. People going to the court house, the SPD, SSO, State Attorney's office, the clerks office, the license office. Add another 10,000 people with cars to that mix, and we'll have to spend more money on road improvements. Restaurants and shops will not get business from people tired of driving around looking for a parking space, or from people havng to be bused from other locations. That will not work.
Your own arguement does not hold water. You say that the Sox sell out every game EVEN THOUGH, as you stated, "there is nothing around it". So, why should Sarasota worry about spending more money on shops, etc. around the stadium. If they come anyway, then we don't need them, right?
Buying up more land that takes more money off the tax rolls, moving tennis courts which cost money, having city attorney's and staff working on this costs money, drawing plans costs money, road improvements cost money. So far all this has cost us is money.
If the Sox want to come, bring em on....I have no problem with it, but they have to pay their own way.
The city & county has to be fiscally responsible to the residents and the people they have already laid off because there is NO money in the budget.
Let's concentrate on things that WE KNOW will bring in money. A convention center, a Waldorf, more parking in the core of downtown.
I can't wait until I can say "I told you so, the Sox would never come here"
Mr. City
August 19, 2008 7:49:25 am
You got that right, this reeks of special interest and a select few to make huge amounts of monies. Thats the only reason anyone would risk a business venture with NO GUARANTEE of the true outcome and consequences.Its easy to spend money one will not have to account for. They do not care, period. Our only pray is that maybe, the county commissioners will come to their senses to do the right thing and vote this down. I don't see how these officals can sleep at night after folks being laid off from both Governments and the cuts in the school budgets.
August 19, 2008 8:04:28 am
Malfeasance.
City Commissioners.
Works for me.
The Lad
...still searching for a definition of malfeasance that doesn't include the phrase "betrayal of public trust".
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