The Nationals and Astros yesterday received "conceptual approval" for $108M in local hotel-tax revenue to build a Spring Training ballpark in Palm Beach County, according to a front-page piece by Joe Capozzi of the PALM BEACH POST. While the County Commission’s 5-2 vote to "allocate the bed-tax money is significant, it does not guarantee" the clubs will get the ballpark, as they still "need to find a site somewhere in Palm Beach County to build it, and that process won’t be easy." The clubs will "report back to the county in 90 days with an update on their site search." Astros General Counsel Giles Kibbe "indicated the teams have all but ruled out their desired spot." Kibbe said that the clubs will "consider at least a half dozen sites in the county, most of them privately owned." Capozzi writes the commission’s vote was a "big win for the teams because two commissioners reversed their previous positions." The commission last month voted 4-3 to "deny the teams’ request" for $145M. Commissioners that day "indicated they would approve no more than" $90M, but yesterday "voted to earmark" $3.6M a year for 30 years. The county also "agreed to chip in" $5M in cash "toward 'soft costs' such as architectural and engineering plans." The Astros and Nationals "agreed to reduce the overall cost" of the ballpark to $135M, which is "down from their original estimate" of $170M. The clubs also "plan to use" $50M in state tax money, and have "agreed to contribute" $68.8M to the construction financing (PALM BEACH POST, 10/22). In Ft. Lauderdale, Andy Reid notes County Commissioners Steven Abrams and Jess Santamaria "cast the only votes against proceeding" with the deal. Abrams said that the location "affects the price and should be resolved before OK'ing the spending total" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 10/22).
