The Minnesota Twins and Lee County are close to announcing a $45-million plan to upgrade Hammond Stadium, the team’s spring home, as part of a 30-year lease extension.
The plan calls for the state to pay $15 million toward the project under the terms of a Florida fund set up to retain spring training, the Twins to pay $13.5 million via increased rent (from $300,000 annually to $500,000), and the county to pay the rest. The improvements will occur both at the ballpark and the training complex; the ballpark will see an upgraded concourse and new team store, while training facility would be modernized and a player dorm built.
RELATED STORIES: Twins, Lee County negotiating over player dorms, naming rights at spring-training complex; Twins sign 30-year spring-training lease extension; Lee County: Twins spring-training improvements hinge on state grant;Twins present spring-training wish list to Lee County; Lee County to Nats: We really, really love you; If Nats leave Viera, will other teams follow?; Lee County commissioner: “50-50” chance Nats will move spring ops to Fort Myers; Lee County, Nats to meet about spring training; Lee County applying for state ballpark-improvement grant; Lerner: Fort Myers is tops on our spring-training wish list; Gammons: Nats present spring-training wish list to Lee County; Is Nats, Brevard County marriage over?; Nats go public with desire for new spring-training facility; Nats, Astros eying new Osceola County spring-training complex; Could Cards, Marlins leave Treasure Coast?; Kasten: Nats definitely looking for new spring home
—-
Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.
Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!
Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!