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[DrShorebird]

www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-springtraining0722,0,6735592.story

baltimoresun.com

Orioles spring training set for Sarasota

Club will make move in February 2010

By Dan Connolly | dan.connolly@baltsun.com

9:56 PM EDT, July 22, 2009

After years of fishing, exploring and negotiating, the Orioles finally have settled on a new spring training facility in Florida.

Starting February 2010, the club will hold spring training in Sarasota and its Ed Smith Stadium, on the western coast of the state, after being in Fort Lauderdale since 1996. The big-league camp now will be within a dozen miles of the organization's minor-league facility, which is already in Sarasota.

"We look forward with great anticipation to becoming an important part of the civic fabric of the Sarasota community and to bringing Orioles baseball to the residents of the greater Sarasota area," Orioles Executive Vice President John Angelos, who has spearheaded the relocation effort, said in a prepared release. "This is a true partnership that is in the best interest of the Orioles and the community of Sarasota."

After listening to roughly 50 public comments in a marathon meeting that lasted until nearly 10 p.m., the Sarasota County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on Wednesday night to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Orioles, which includes a 30-year lease with the team and $31.2 million in renovations to Ed Smith Stadium and Twin Lakes Park, the Orioles' current minor-league spring facility.

Earlier in the day, the Sarasota City Commission voted 3-2 to sell the Ed Smith property to Sarasota County for $1 and agreed to contractual language that included some environmental indemnity for the club and county.

The county then had to approve that inter-local agreement as well as the funding allocation -- $7.5 million in state grants and $23.7 million from an increased county tourism tax -- and the memorandum of understanding. All of the motions passed, 4-1.

There are still a few administrative details that need to be finalized -- including some design aspects of the project and the rejection of the 2010 option at obsolete Fort Lauderdale Stadium -- but the club's arduous search for a spring home seems to be over.

Most important, the Orioles' minor and major-league complexes will be located within a 15-minute drive and not three hours apart for the first time since 1995.

"You have no idea how enthusiastic the baseball side is. We have been working under a handicap for 15 years," Orioles president Andy MacPhail told Sarasota's county commission Wednesday before the vote. "This is a great piece of the puzzle for us."

The Orioles will play in the 22-year-old stadium next spring and then a full renovation will begin after the club heads north. The stadium will be reconstructed, with the current seating capacity increasing from 7,500 to between 8,500 and 9,000.

In addition, the dilapidated Twin Lakes Park complex will be fully renovated and refurbished. Adjacent to Twin Lakes Park will be a newly constructed Cal Ripken Youth Baseball Academy which can be used year-round for camps and tournaments.

... more

[Gurgi]

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090723/COLUMNIST/907231091/2127?Title=Could-the-Orioles-turn-it-around-like-the-Rays-and-give-Sarasota-a-winner-

Like the Rays with Carl Crawford and B.J. Upton, in Adam Jones and Nick Markakis, the Orioles have two young outfielders around whom they can build.

Baltimore has a veteran second baseman in Brian Roberts, a productive DH in Luke Scott, its future catcher in Matt Weiters.

And annually, some of the worst pitching in baseball.

Exactly where the O's and Rays part company. Last year, Tampa Bay made its run with a staff ranked third in baseball.

Meanwhile, the Orioles completed their 10th straight season ranked 20th or lower. Currently, Baltimore's team ERA is 4.95, 28th in the league.

The O's have yet to develop their own James Shields or Jeff Niemann. Except for left-hander Brian Matusz, the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft, and 21-year-old Chris Tillman, acquired with Jones from Seattle in the Erik Bedard trade, little pitching depth exists throughout the organization.

This author really isnt paying that much attention to the pitching in the minors. Most neutral parties agree the Orioles have a top 5 organisation in pitchers.

Also we have Guthrie and Bergesen and Hernandez who all look decent for a while. It will only take a Matusz and Tillman to bring our team around in a hurry. Or am I just drinking the cool-aid?

Well they will be watching along with the rest of us. I think they might be happy they did this move in a year or two.

[Diehard_O's_Fan]

Hey Doc and JTrea81,

I have a couple questions for you guys. Is Ed Smith Stadium in better condition now than Ft. Lauderdale stadium or is it just as bad? I know the Orioles are going to make alot of improvements to it. However, I want to know how it currently compares to Ft. Lauderdale stadium. Will the Orioles be able to make all the improvements to Ed Smith Stadium before spring training starts in 2011? Thanks for your time.

Andrew,

[bird watcher]

Pictures of Ed Smith Stadium

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85089

[JTrea81]

Hey Doc and JTrea81' date='

I have a couple questions for you guys. Is Ed Smith Stadium in better condition now than Ft. Lauderdale stadium or is it just as bad? I know the Orioles are going to make alot of improvements to it. However, I want to know how it currently compares to Ft. Lauderdale stadium. Will the Orioles be able to make all the improvements to Ed Smith Stadium before spring training starts in 2011? Thanks for your time.

Andrew,[/quote']

The Orioles plan on starting construction in April 2010, so hopefully they will be able to make all the improvements.

As for the stadium itself, here's what is there now:

The Spring Training home of Maior League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds and the Florida State League's Sarasota Reds Ed Smith Stadium's resources include:

-4 regulation major league training fields with rotunda platform and restrooms, practice infield and 4 covered batting tunnels

-Stadium armchair seating for 6,500

-Stadium bleacher seating for 1,000

-On-field seating for special events: 8,500

-3 permanent concession stands

-3 sets of restrooms

-2 ticket booths

-Clubhouse facilities for up to 150 players include secured parking for 100 vehicles (available April 15 - February 14 only)

-Press box available for small groups and parties

-18-acre multipurpose grass parking area. Stadium parking capacity: 2,000 cars; additional 2,000 spaces in immediate area

-Multipurpose meeting rooms

-Box office, ushering, concessions and parking services available on request

The lights work, the clubhouse is newer and larger so there should be an actual weight room instead of a tent, and I doubt there's water between the floorboards like there was in Lauderdale. Lauderdale was built in the 60's. Ed Smith was built in 1989.

[Frobby]

Sounds like this is finally getting done, but as I sai before, I want to see every i dotted and every t crossed before I exhale. And, I want to see the team actually in Sarasota and satisfied with the facilities.

[RayKinsella]

So cool to be close to other teams finally, too.

Our Spring schedule can now be filled with games against NYY, BOS, TOR, TB, PIT, PHI, DET and others.

Great move!!! Can't wait for Spring.

[Birdy09]

The Daiquiri Deck in Siesta Key is a great place:clap3:. I can't wait for ST 2010!!

http://www.daiquirideck.com/

[RShack]

Sounds like this is finally getting done, but as I sai before, I want to see every i dotted and every t crossed before I exhale. And, I want to see the team actually in Sarasota and satisfied with the facilities.

Sounds like that part will be ST 2011.

[JTrea81]

Sounds like that part will be ST 2011.

The team is moving to Sarasota in ST 2010 as per the agreement. They take over the lease on Nov 1, 2009.

As for the construction, it is supposed to start in April 2010 but there isn't a completion date. Given the fact you can work year round in FL, I would say having most everything done by ST 2011 wouldn't be a huge stretch.

[murrayfan420]

I've come to hate this thread because everytime I sign on OH I see "BREAKING NEWS!" and keep expecting a trade that has gone through.

[Morgan423]

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

I think you might be the only one disappointed.