Blue Jays may be eyeing Southwest Florida as new spring training home
DUNEDIN, Fla. - Our FOX affiliate in Tampa, WTVT, is reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays is looking at a possible spring training move to Southwest Florida.
The Blue Jays currently train in Dunedin but poor facilities has the team looking at other possible locations in Florida including Fort Myers and Naples.
Team officials say they will start shopping for a new spring training home over the next 12 months – and if they left, it would be a big loss for the community of baseball fans.
For 37 years, the Blue Jays have used the Florida Auto Exchange facility in Dunedin as a spring training home. Officials say that facility is just not holding up.
Some of the complaints include cramped souvenir shops, long lines at bathrooms and a desperate need for more parking.
The move won't happen right away. The Jays' lease on the stadium doesn't expire until 2017.
Recently Gov. Rick Scott spent the day in Lakeland at a local spring training facility. He said then that the state is losing too many teams to other state – a hit to our economy.
He wants to spend millions of tax dollars to help spruce up stadiums around the state in hopes of keeping the teams here.
Florida has already lost the Dodgers, Royals, Indians, White Sox and Reds.
The Blue Jays could still stay in Florida, though. Officials are looking at Naples, Fort Myers and even parts of Pasco County. They say it will be tough to leave Dunedin after 37 years, but a decision will be based on what's best for the team.
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