O's Select NEW Spring Training Home

[ScottieBaseball]

According to everyone's favorite MASN blogger, Roch Kubatko, the Orioles and Sarasota County have reached a tentative agreement for the team to move its spring training home to Ed Smith Stadium, beginning in 2010.

Roch also cites this HeraldTribune.com article.

[FlaOs]

As a Ft. Lauderdale resident, I couldn't be more disappointed.

[jerios55]

According to everyone's favorite MASN blogger, Roch Kubatko, the Orioles and Sarasota County have reached a tentative agreement for the team to move its spring training home to Ed Smith Stadium, beginning in 2010.

Roch also cites this HeraldTribune.com article.

Hey, did you take mine away

[Satyr3206]

Another long term Franchise issue addressed. Good News.

[Mark Carver]

Yeah! Long term planning! It's about time...

SARASOTA - Sarasota County and the Baltimore Orioles have reached a tentative agreement for the team to do spring training at Ed Smith Stadium for the next 30 years.

[Frobby]

So is the environmental issue, reported on by Doc today in the MiL forum, now resolved? Or is that still looming as something that could upset this agreement?

[ScottieBaseball]

Hey, did you take mine away

Yup. Mine was first!

Seriously...if your had been stamped first I'd have left it up.

[TGO]

No WAY! Is the contract signed?!?! It's bound to not come true!

City Council still has to approve the transfer of the facility to the County, looks like they meet tomorrow at 1 pm.

Of course it's probably just a formality. I don't think they'll forgo all that state money and the 50/50 contributions the Orioles and the County have agreed to make to the capital fund. Why would the City want to keep an empty stadium that needs repairs?

[Mark Carver]

So is the environmental issue, reported on by Doc today in the MiL forum, now resolved? Or is that still looming as something that could upset this agreement?

The article says -

The county and Orioles deal is contingent upon the City of Sarasota approving an environmental indemnity clause in its interlocal agreement which will transfer Ed Smith Stadium to the county. City officials will meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22 at Sarasota City Hall to discuss the agreement.

[isestrex]

Does anyone know anything about the new place? Or is everyone too excited to be leaving Ft. Lauderdale than no one knows anything yet??

<img src="http://usera.ImageCave.com/isestrex/Emoticons/huh.gif">

[TGO]

The article says -

Ooh, you know, I misread that. Bad lawyer!

That actually IS a doozy for the City.

[GulfBird]

I will try to get photos of Ed Smith for everyone that hasn't been to the area so people can have an idea of what it looks like

[PaulBako]

Can Jtrea be happy now?

[JTrea81]

Can Jtrea be happy now?

Slightly...

Glad to see the parties finally hash things out. Sarasota was the best fit and I'm happy to see the Orioles realized that...

[orioles119]

I'm just glad that the O's aren't moving out to Arizona like everyone else in the league.