JAYS TO STAY IN GARDEN OF DUNEDIN: In Toronto, Mike
Rutsey reported that the Blue Jays "reached an economic
agreement to remain" at their spring training site in
Dunedin, FL, for at least an additional 15 years pending a
$12M renovation of their facilities "expected to be ready
on" March 1, 2002. In the deal, Blue Jays GM Gord Ash said
that the state of FL will pay $6M, Pinellas County $3M and
the team and city "paying out the rest" (TORONTO SUN, 9/9).
In St. Petersburg, Leon Tucker wrote that in each of the 15
years of the contract, the city of Dunedin would pay
$150,000 toward the $3M to keep the team in the city, while
the team would pay $125,000 (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 9/9).
IS RED SOX PLAN IN PERIL? In Boston, Scott Van Voorhis
writes that with a "showdown looming" between the Red Sox
and the City Council over approval for a new ballpark, "some
top business and political sources don't see the team
capitalizing on the momentum provided by the key" State
House vote in July. Sources say that after "pushing hard"
for a legislative deal, the team and their "hired guns
appear to have fallen silent on a number of fronts." One
source: "It's not likely they are without tools, but the
question is what are these people doing. You add all that
(inaction) up and the only conclusion I can draw is [Red Sox
CEO John Harrington] has taken the team off the field"
(BOSTON HERALD, 9/11). A BOSTON HERALD editorial states:
"The Red Sox plans for a new Fenway have literally
disappeared off the radar screen. That surely isn't good
marketing strategy, and it raises the question of whether
there is any strategy at all" (BOSTON HERALD, 9/11).
NOTES: Columbus officials officially opened the $150M
Nationwide Arena Thursday with a "ticket-cutting ceremony."
The expansion Blue Jackets held its first home practice at
the facility (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 9/8)....In Rochester, Jeff
DiVeronica wrote that the A-League Rhinos have sold all 31
luxury suites at its proposed $48M, 20,000-seat PaeTec Park,
"except five set aside for potential major sponsors." The
suites, which have leases for four, six and ten years, cost
$20,000-35,000 annually (DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 9/8).
