Collier County Commissioners have rejected plans Tuesday to lure the Atlanta Braves to the county for spring training. If approved, a proposed $100 million stadium would have been built in the City Gate area near I-75 and Collier Boulevard.
Three new commissioners were sworn in at the Board of Commissioners' regular meeting. While previous commissioners such as Tim Nance and Georgia Hiller supported the Braves setting up spring training in Collier, no one on the current board felt the same way.
"We don't need any tourism in February and March," said Commissioner Donna Fiala. "We already have so much that we're overloaded with it."
Brave's president John Schuerholz, who has a home in Collier County, went before commissioners to show them that the team was serious about wanting a stadium there.
"Give us a chance to negotiate with Collier County, so that we might someday locate our spring training here," Schuerholz said.
But those negotiations, which include using tax money to help build the stadium, had some calling foul - including Naples vice-mayor Linda Penniman. She spoke for the Coastal Advisory Committee, which advocates putting a priority on using tax dollars for beach re-nourishment.
"Were this such a terrific deal, I would think there would be private monies clamoring to get in on this deal," Penniman said.
New commissioner Burt Saunders agreed that beach re-nourishment is more of a priority for tax money t be spent on tourism.
"That's where I think the best bang for the buck is," Saunders said.
Commissioner Andy Solis said that the Braves' pitch to get a stadium ready for the 2019 spring training season isn't realistic.
"The schedule that's been laid out for this to actually work, just in my my mind, is un-doable," Solis said.
Commissioner William McDaniel made a motion to end the county's negotiations with the Braves. After it was seconded, the vote was unanimous.
Representatives of the Braves, including Schuerholz, left the Board chambers right after the vote and could not be reached for comment.
