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Board approves Orioles— player-development project and directs staff to study stadium repair funding
Summary
Commissioners approved the Baltimore Orioles— capital-improvement project at Ed Smith Stadium and asked staff to return with funding options for the Tourist Development Tax-funded sports stadium fund to meet capital repair and replacement obligations for county-owned spring-training facilities.
The Sarasota Board of County Commissioners on April 23 approved the Baltimore Orioles' proposed player-development facility at Ed Smith Stadium and directed county staff to develop funding options to meet future capital repair and replacement obligations for county-owned spring-training stadiums.
Nicole Ressler, director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, briefed the board on requirements the county holds under agreements with the Orioles and Atlanta Braves and on recent facility-condition assessments. Kim Radke, director of Office of Financial Management, reviewed how the county uses the six pennies of the tourist development tax (TDT) and the statutory limits on certain pennies and allocations.
The Orioles' ownership plans a climate-controlled player-development facility and related field improvements estimated at roughly $21 million–$23 million; the county's immediate share for specific items in the project is about $1.7 million, Radke said, and that amount was included in this year—s budget. Commissioners voted to approve the Orioles project and to authorize the county administrator or designee to approve related permit applications.
Separately, staff presented multi-year fund projections for the TDT sports-stadium fund showing a risk of shortfalls beyond the current five-year horizon if the county does not set aside additional money for anticipated capital repairs. Staff asked the board to direct analysis of funding options within the TDT and to bring back models and, if appropriate, authorization to advertise an ordinance or ordinance amendment. The board directed staff to return with those funding models and concurrent authorization to advertise and a public hearing; the motion passed unanimously.
Kim Radke said the county—s combined debt service for both stadiums is roughly $1.1 million and that the fund balance is projected at about $7 million at the end of the current fiscal year. Staff emphasized the county would limit its analysis to TDT-based options unless the board instructed otherwise.
The board approved the Orioles— capital-improvement project by voice vote and later unanimously directed staff to return with funding options and the authorization to advertise a public hearing on proposed changes to the TDT allocation to address stadium repair needs.
