Cactus league anyone?

[TRF]

Wasn't Sundance the kid? besides they survived that scene. The sequel sucked though.

[Heath]

Thanks for all the Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid references. Now, I've got BJ Thomas stuck in my head.

Now if I could only get Katharine Ross stuck in my head........

[REDREAD]

John Allen is in charge of the decision?

I predict ST in Bolivia

Yep, although if Albania ups there bid by $2 more, they win.

I can't think of a worse person to make any longterm decision that affects the Reds than John Allen.

Why not save Allen's consulting fee and just pick whatever site is the cheapest for the Reds, everything else won't matter to Allen.

And I agree with the other poster that the Reds are moving partially out of spite, since Sarasota stopped the gravy train.

[JaxRed]

Wasn't Sundance the kid? besides they survived that scene. The sequel sucked though.

Hate it when I screw up like that.......

[Sea Ray]

All the talk around here is about Arizona, Orlando or Vero Beach. I still think Sarasota is the most likely site long term. Am I nuts?

[Unassisted]

All the talk around here is about Arizona, Orlando or Vero Beach. I still think Sarasota is the most likely site long term. Am I nuts?

The taxpayers in Sarasota chose not to pony up the $$$ for a new facility. It may be a great location, but the Reds are looking for the red carpet treatment and seem to be finding other willing suitors with open wallets or better facilities.

Unless you know of some other funding source or some new plan to funnel tax money into facility improvements in Sarasota, I'm afraid you may very well be nuts.

[redsmetz]

The taxpayers in Sarasota chose not to pony up the $$$ for a new facility. It may be a great location, but the Reds are looking for the red carpet treatment and seem to be finding other willing suitors with open wallets or better facilities.

Unless you know of some other funding source or some new plan to funnel tax money into facility improvements in Sarasota, I'm afraid you may very well be nuts.

According to Fay's story in today's Enquirer, officials in Sarasota are exploring other possibilities for funding improvements.

As former Reds chief operating officer John Allen prepares to tour a possible new spring training home for the team today in Goodyear, Ariz., officials in Sarasota are renewing their efforts to keep the club in Florida.

Pat Calhoon, the facility manager for Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, said Tuesday he expects that Sarasota government officials will consider a proposal next Tuesday to fund improvements to the stadium, which the Reds say are necessary if they are to stay.

The Reds say that the stadium, as currently structured, is too small and has drainage problems. It also is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In November, Sarasota voters rejected a $16 million referendum that would have helped fund a $56 million project to rebuild the complex. The referendum was rejected by 225 votes, and the Reds began looking for a new site for 2009.

The Reds do have an option to renew the lease for Ed Smith Stadium one year at a time through 2011.

Calhoon said Tuesday that the Sarasota city commission will not ask for another tax vote, but instead will propose to pay for a renovation with existing funds.

"We can't ask for an increase to sustain a stadium," he said. "We can go back and look for other ways to fund it."

The Reds are prepared to walk away from Sarasota after this year's spring training. Allen confirmed that the team has discussed relocating to Orlando, in addition to other Florida sites. He would not be specific about those sites.

Allen said there have been no firm offers from any Florida sites, which has kept the door open for Sarasota, but he said "they have to come to us with a deal."

A move to Arizona would be a drastic one for the Reds.

The team has trained in Florida since 1923, except for a three-year period during World War II when it trained in Bloomington, Ind.

Sarasota offers accessibility for Reds fans; it's a 14-hour drive away, and the flight is just more than two hours.

Goodyear, on the other hand, is a two-day drive and involves a four-hour flight.

But the fact that Allen is in Arizona today suggests the Reds are seriously considering Goodyear. Allen, who retired as chief operating officer in November, is leading the search as a consultant.

"We're going to explore all our options, including Arizona," Allen said.

Goodyear, which is west of Phoenix, is putting the finishing touches on a $75 million complex for the Cleveland Indians. The city is proposing that the Reds share the site with the Indians.

The facility includes an 8,500-seat stadium and 400-seat party area. Surrounding the ballpark is 242-acre Ballpark Village, which includes housing and retail shops.

Sarasota can't compete with that. But Goodyear can't compete with Sarasota's proximity to Cincinnati.

Calhoon was optimistic about working out a deal with Sarasota.

"The vote was so close," he said. "I don't think people were saying no to baseball. They were saying no to new taxes."

[JaxRed]

What staying in Sarasota means is settling for a second class facility. Instead of 1) A new stadium 2)54 million in upgrades we will get 35 million in upgrades.

And you'll still be in Sarasota that has the worst or almost the worst attendance in all of minor league baseball.

Go to Orlando. Share Spring Training with the Braves. The facilities and the Stadium are great. Already a tourist destination, the beaches on both coasts are 2 hours or less away. And we'd have one of the premier cities in Florida as Reds territory.

[Unassisted]

According to Fay's story in today's Enquirer, officials in Sarasota are exploring other possibilities for funding improvements.

I would give that a big "We'll see..." since it sounds like a last-ditch effort. Citizens in Sarasota may balk at losing whatever will be sacrificed to scrape together those funds. Either that or the improvement plans will have to be scaled back to fit into the funding available.

Now that the Reds are actively being courted and shaking the money tree in other places, I doubt they'll settle for a plan done on the cheap or one that requires them to contribute more than the plan that was voted down.

[Sea Ray]

Believe me I have no inside information but it seems to me that they've been underwhelmed by the Florida offers to date and they know Arizona is a hardship for their fans living in Ohio. The Reds' brass has commented over and over again how much they like the Sarasota location geographically. I'm just guessing here but I think they're gathering info on other sites (such as Arizona) so they know what to ask Sarasota to scrape together in its final bid. They have time on their side with Sarasota since they can renew a year at a time. The longer this drags out the longer it seems likely they'll stay in Sarasota.

[Matt700wlw]

Sarasota would like to keep the Reds

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...NEWS/801160503

[Sea Ray]

Sounds to me like it's all up to the county. If they approve funding then the other pieces will fall into place. I don't think the Reds are keen on sharing a facility like they'd have to do in Orlando or Goodyear, AR

[Unassisted]

And the bouncing ball lands in another part of Florida now...

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/...y-spring-trai/

Could Lee be seeing Reds for third spring training team?

By TOM HANSON (Contact), BRAD KANE (Contact)
Originally published 06:15 p.m., January 17, 2008
Updated 08:17 p.m., January 17, 2008

The Cincinnati Reds have expressed an interest in relocating their spring training to Lee County.

A consultant for the Reds called Deputy County Manager Bill Hammond on Thursday about the issue.

Hammond then referred the team to Bonita Springs and Cape Coral as possible sites. Cincinnati’s current deal with Sarasota is about to expire and negotiations for a new stadium broke down.

“He said the county was not interested, so they said ‘What do you think about Bonita Springs or Cape Coral?’” Bonita City Manager Gary Price said. “Bill gave me a heads up that they would be calling.”

The Reds never called Price on Thursday.

Baseball in Bonita might never make it past the first pitch. Cape Coral Mayor Eric Feichthaler said his city might be ready to get back into the mix.

In 2006, the Bonita Springs City Council talked about bringing a spring training team to the city — with the Reds and the Cleveland Indians as possibilities — but council members backed off because of the $60-million price tag of building spring training facilities.

“I’m not so retractable in any of my positions that I won’t change my position if it is in the best interest of the city,” Councilman Richard Ferreira said Thursday. “That doesn’t mean I will use city tax money to pay for spring training facilities in any way. Sports is nice, but I don’t want the taxpayers involved in any way.”

Cape Coral has one advantage in attracting the Reds: land.

The city owns 100 acres at Festival Park in the north central part of town. In 2006, the Cleveland Indians toured the property and expressed interest in coming to the Cape. The Indians informed the city they would need 50 acres to build a six-field facility with a stadium.

Feichthaler emphatically endorsed the proposition, but his fellow Cape Coral City Council members decisively voted down even the idea of asking for state money to pursue a Major League team for spring training, let alone spend millions on stadium.

With the last election came five new members on the eight-member council, and Feichthaler said this group is dead set on bringing an attraction to the city that might help its economy.

“We don’t have anything to draw anyone to our city,” Feichthaler said, “and this council is set on bringing something that would make a difference. I think this council would be interested in baseball.”

Feichthaler believes the voters would be in favor of a third team coming to Lee County. But Feichthaler, who is running for a Lee County Commission seat, believes the decision should be in their hands.

“I would want it to go to a referendum,” he said.

The Reds’ relationship with spring training in Sarasota became tumultuous after city voters rejected a property tax increase in November for a $54-million stadium renovation. Plans to renovate the current stadium in Sarasota are gaining momentum, but they do not have widespread support yet.

The Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins already call Lee County home for spring training. Five years ago, the Cleveland Indians floated the idea of sharing a facility with the Red Sox.

Sox officials have expressed interest in having a third team in Southwest Florida to aid scheduling and cut down traveling.

The Sarasota County Commission will make one last pitch at a meeting next Tuesday to keep the Reds.

Under the proposed plan, the city would contribute about $7 million and the county about $18 million. The Reds and a state grant would cover the rest of the costs.

The state offered money two years ago to keep teams from leaving Florida for Arizona.

Cincinnati officials visited Goodyear, Ariz., according to the Arizona Republic. The Cleveland Indians recently agreed to leave Winter Haven for Goodyear.

Besides Lee County, the Reds are believed to be interested in the Orlando area and Vero Beach.

[Sea Ray]

“I would want it to go to a referendum,” he said.

I'm sure that's just what the Reds want to do...sweat through another referendum.

[red-in-la]

Reds game in Arizona? Sweet! This would solve many problems I have (as a Reds fan) at one time.