Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: W Palm, Pitching, Surveys
Atlanta Braves return to Palm Beach County? Officials will hear pitch
JOHN CAPOZZI / PALMBEACHPOST.COM
WEST PALM BEACH — For the first time in 20 years, the Atlanta Braves dominated a public discussion by the Palm Beach County Commission.
At the end of a commission workshop Tuesday, Commissioner Shelley Vana brought up “re-inviting” the Braves back to the county for spring training at a new stadium near Lake Worth in time for the 2018 season.
…
During eight minutes of discussion, however, commissioners agreed they weren’t ready to consider the idea until the Braves submit a formal proposal. That could happen as early as Tuesday.
“I’m not saying not to do it, that’s not what I’m saying, but before we actually sit at the table and the staff is looking at the representatives for the Braves, it might be helpful if we could get some information from the Braves on what it is they are looking for,” Mayor Mary Lou Berger said.
…
“The team is clearly interested,” Vana said, adding that she hopes the commission will be in position to discuss the idea next week. “Timing is an issue.”
The biggest question is how to pay for a stadium and practice fields, which could cost up to $100 million. The commission is paying $113 million in hotel bed tax money toward the the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, the complex the Nationals and Astros will share.
“It should not be a surprise to any of us that anything that comes forward from the team has got to have some very creative funding mechanisms because our bed-tax dollars are little bit tight,” Commissioner Melissa McKinlay said.
Baker said the county had planned to issue a contract March 1 for $2 million in improvements to John Prince Park, which is west of Interstate 95 off of 6th Avenue South, but she delayed the contract because the Braves had expressed interest in the site.
______________
Ed. Note: Sounds like things are starting to move smartly along toward West Palm Beach, though no other suitors have yet been ruled out, either.
The map to the right shows the area of interest within Palm Beach County. It’s actually located in Lake Worth, Florida, and would be the most Southerly Spring site except for the Minnesota Twins – on the opposite coast of Florida.
This map suggests a quick travel time for the 5 teams that would be located in the area (the Nationals and Astros move in next Spring): it’s roughly 25 miles from one end to the other along I-95. The Mets, at their Port St. Lucie home further up the coast would be 53 miles away from Lake Worth.
Of more curiosity, though, is the idea that so many NL East teams would be jammed together for Spring mash-ups in addition to their regular season tilts.
At this point, though, I think the Braves would be happy anywhere – just so long if they could get a shovel pushed into the ground to start building themselves a new Spring home.
Next: Relievers Mostly Muddled Through Yesterday