18 | NPAR
Seat 4
A step closer
City of North Port moves forward with plans to bring Atlanta Braves training facility
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Written by : Megan Hart NPAR Correspondent
NORTH PORT -- Both the North Port City Commission and the Sarasota County Commission recently approved the key terms of a deal to bring the Atlanta Braves ’ spring training home to North Port .
Though many details are waiting to be worked out , this marks another big step in the process which started in March 2016 . According to the approved terms , the Braves ’ new spring training complex will cost $ 75.4 million . North Port will be responsible for $ 300,000 per year for 30 years , or $ 9 million in total . Sarasota County , the state , the Braves and a private developer will be responsible for the remaining cost .
Bringing in a team for spring training is an expensive proposition , but it can pay off in the long run . In an economic impact analysis released by the Sarasota County Government earlier this year , it was estimated that the Orioles , who hold their spring training in Sarasota , generated $ 81 million in the community in 2016 .
The Braves hope to move their spring training home to North Port in 2019 . Plans for their new complex include a 6,500-seat stadium , six practice fields and a 55,000-square-foot administrative office . The complex will be located in the West Villages , just south of West Villages Parkway and U . S . 41 .
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