The Yankees and Tampa Sports Authority yesterday "announced plans to renovate" the publicly owned George M. Steinbrenner Field with "improved outfield views and concourses, revamped entry ways and more shade to protect patrons from the Florida sun," according to Steve Contorno of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. While the team "will pay one-third of the costs," or about $13M, taxpayers "will pick up the rest." In exchange for the $40M makeover, the Yankees "agreed to extend their lease of Steinbrenner Field by 21 years." The deal also includes $4.1M "in improvements to the Yankees Spring Training Complex" south of the ballpark. The agreement "faces a series of votes before it's finalized," starting with the TSA BOD on April 19. The deal also "is contingent on Florida officials approving the use" of $13M from the state's Spring Training Retention Program funds. The remaining $13M "will be paid by Hillsborough County through the Tourist Development tax collected on hotel night stays." The Yankees will also pay $11.4M to the TSA "over the life of the lease," though after '35, the payment "drops from about $500,000 a year to $186,000" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 4/12). In Newark, Randy Miller notes the ballpark also is home to the Single-A Florida State League Tampa Yankees. Once approved, the "work will begin" and is "expected to be finished before spring training" next year. The Yankees moved to Tampa in '96 after holding spring training in Fort Lauderdale from '62-95 (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/12). Populous is designing the upgrades and Legends Global Planning is filling the role of owner’s representative for the project (Don Muret, Staff Writer).
