Osceola County Votes Against Washington Nationals’ Spring Training Plan
Earlier today I blogged about D-day and the proposed $221 million deal over 30 years that would see the Washington Nationals move to Osceola County. I’m pleased to say that that deal is no more.
Around 8.10pm tonight, Osceola County Commissioners voted 4-1 against the deal being proposed by the Nationals. Commissioners Attkisson, Arrington, Hawkins and Quinones all rejected the deal while Commissioner Harford stood as the lone vote in favor.
Approximately thirty local business people and residents spoke to the commission before the vote and the vast majority were against the deal that would have seen the sales and marketing dollars for Experience Kissimmee tapped into for the next 30 years.
“Just too many eggs in one basket and too rich for my blood” said Commissioner Hawkins.
The decision dealt a major blow to the team who had high hopes of leaving its facility in Viera – Brevard County next year and in a statement released shortly after the meeting ended they said: ‘“While the Washington Nationals are sorry that we couldn’t come to an agreement with Osceola County, we recognised this was just one option toward finding the right site, deal, and partner to build our one of a kind, family friendly Spring Training and fan experience facility. We would like to thank Osceola County for approaching us about this project and for their professionalism and good spirit through the negotiations. We will continue to talk with other interested counties in Florida and Arizona and believe that the appropriate combination of site and investment will pay dividends for the right community long into the future.”
