The North Port City (Fla.) Commission "voted 3-2 Tuesday to pay" $4.7M of sales tax money to help fund the Braves' Spring Training complex, according to Earle Kimel of the Sarasota HERALD-TRIBUNE. North Port Mayor Linda Yates and Commissioner Debbie McDowell both "opposed approving the inter-local agreement because they felt key details ... had not been finalized." Yates in particular was "incensed that the city’s involvement was frequently shoehorned into the end of the process, with little option for negotiations." She "worried that the Braves will ask for additional concessions on fees and credits." In approving the lump sum payment of $4.7M from sales tax revenue, the board "veered from a long anticipated plan to contribute $300,000 a year for the next 30 years" (Sarasota HERALD-TRIBUNE, 7/26). In Atlanta, Tim Tucker notes the facility "would be built within the North Port city limits in Sarasota County." North Port's commitment is "on top" of a $21.3M contribution from Sarasota County. The Braves are "awaiting word on another big piece of public funding" for the project: a requested $20M grant -- $1M per year for 20 years -- from the state of Florida. In all, the deal "would include" more than $45M in taxpayer money, with the rest of the project cost "covered by a private developer and the Braves." A development agreement "still must be negotiated and approved" (AJC.com, 7/26).
