PressBoxOnline: John Angelos on Sarasota

[BoltonBob]

I think that that was really cool of MacPhail to redirect the credit away from himself, and onto Angelos.

Thanks.

From the article:

Angelos' pitch was straightforward in offering the area the best deal possible.

"My approach was to put everything on the table and get it out there,":laughlol::laughlol: he said. "There's no reason to play poker with anyone, and I didn't want negative stories with what we should have done or didn't do."

HOWEVER not in the Pressbox article:

When the Orioles agreed to move their spring training to Sarasota in 2009, part of their promise - in exchange for a $31 million stadium subsidy - was a youth baseball academy. Ripken even issued a statement -read to commissioners - expressing excitement over the development. When a deal was struck, the Orioles touted the academy in a press release.:2yay-thumb::2yay-thumb:

But somehow, the promise, which was in the initial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), disappeared prior to signing the final lease. Years later, there is no sign ANY youth academy. When Cal learned Angelos wasn't going to "share the taxpayers money" he asked nearby Charlotte County to provide 10 million dollars for a Cal Ripken Youth Academy there, but that hasn't happened either.

Pat Rounds, a member of Citizens for Responsible Government and a leading subsidy critic. "Part of the deal was a commitment to the youth baseball academy...and that just hasn't materialized." Rounds is also upset valuable youth sports fields were given to the Orioles in the deal.

But hey, the $8-10 beer's cold, and the rich get richer! :rolleyestf:

BoltonBob

[Redskins Rick]

I think we can all agree that the Angelos years in Baltimore were poor years. Thank goodness for MacPhail and Duquette.

Amen!

Good Post.