Pat Williams continued his quest to bring Major League Baseball to central Florida by pitching almost $1 billion in tourist tax revenue to fund a new Orlando MLB ballpark in the midst of the city’s tourist and visitor attractions. (more…)
Tag Archives | orlando
Long-shot Orlando MLB ballpark plan unveiled
Veteran sports operator Pat Williams unveiled a proposal for a $1.7-billion Orlando MLB ballpark development backed by a huge government spend–a proposal that will never happen while the Tampa Bay Rays continue to exist. (more…)
Williams revives plan for new Orlando MLB ballpark, team
Veteran sports exec Pat Williams, a former MiLB player who was key in the launch of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, is once again working on a plan for a new Orlando MLB ballpark for a relocating or expansion major league team under the Orlando Dreamers name. (more…)
Magic Co-Founder Launching Orlando MLB Campaign
Orlando Magic co-founder Pat Williams is launching a campaign to bring a Major League Baseball team to the city, but specifics such as ballpark plans and team ownership have yet to take shape. (more…)
Tinker Field History Plaza Opens
The legacy of Orlando’s Tinker Field will live on in a unique way, as officials have cut the ribbon on a history plaza at the former ballpark’s site. (more…)
Ground Broken for Tinker Field History Plaza
A unique tribute to Tinker Field is starting to take shape, as Orlando officials have broken ground on a history plaza at the site of the facility. (more…)
Tinker Field Memorial Plaza in Planning Stages
The site of Tinker Field, former spring home of the Minnesota Twins and the Washington Senators, could be memorialized under a plan to be considered by Orlando’s Historic Preservation Board at a November 2 meeting. (more…)
Braves launch search for new spring site
We hinted at this a few weeks ago, and now the details are emerging: the Atlanta Braves are indeed ready to say goodbye to Disney World and Champion Stadium for spring training, as the team has made preliminary contact with several Florida counties about a move. (more…)
Winter Park moves forward with new downtown Manatees ballpark
The Winter Park (Fl.) City Commission voted to move forward with a new downtown Brevard County Manatees (High Class A; Florida State League) ballpark. The vote was 4-1. The proposal calls for tearing down Alfond Stadium at Harper-Shepherd Field, owned by Rollins College and home to the Tars as well as the Winter Park Diamond […]
Manatees close to Winter Park ballpark deal
The Brevard County Manatees (High Class A; Florida State League) are close to a deal on a new ballpark at Winter Park’s Alfond Stadium site, with two hearings on the project set for today. Winter Park is a suburb of Orlando. The team, currently playing at Viera’s Space Coast Stadium (spring home of the Washington […]
Tinker Field receives reprieve after community outrage
The demolition of Orlando’s Tinker Field is on hold, after politicos and community leaders expressed outrage that the historic facility was set to meet the wrecking ball with little notice. Mayor Buddy Dyer announced that plans to demolish the former home to spring training and Minor League Baseball in Orlando would be put on hold […]
Movement to save Tinker Field emerges
A movement to save historic Tinker Field, the longtime home of spring training in Orlando, is afoot, as preservationists want to see it declared a landmark, with accompanying protections. The call to preserve Tinker Field comes from Orlando’s Historic Preservation Board, which oversees the management of historic properties for the city. Last week Mayor Buddy […]
That first whiff of spring: batting practice
Was doing some advance scouting for spring training today in the greater Orlando area, and stumbled upon a magical sight: batting practice at Alfond Stadium, home of the Rollins College Tars, in downtown Winter Park. There’s nothing like a crack of the bat and a temperature in the 70s to make you yearn for baseball. […]