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More of stadium cost goes to Phillies
By CHRISTINA HEADRICK, Times Staff Writer CLEARWATER -- Under a freshly revised contract, the Philadelphia Phillies could increase their pledge to build a new spring training stadium by $2-million while the city will reduce its contribution. City leaders are calling the deal a win for taxpayers. "I will be very pleased when we're able to accomplish this rather significant task," City Manager Bill Horne said. "I think that over time the (Phillies') commitment has matured and I see that as a good thing. We have always felt that they were willing to commit themselves in good faith to make this work." In the new proposal, the city will reduce its contribution to build the stadium from $5-million to $3.5-million, according to documents obtained by the St. Petersburg Times Friday. Under the proposed deal, the team would increase what it pays for construction from $3-million to $5-million and will cover any cost overruns on the stadium's construction, the documents show. The rest of the funds to build the 7,000-seat stadium -- now estimated to cost at least $22.5-million -- will come from $14-million in bonds financed by state and county funds. The Phillies and the city renegotiated how much each would contribute to the stadium's construction because Clearwater is spending another $3.9-million to buy the Home Depot property for the stadium, said Kevin Dunbar, parks and recreation director. The land is being purchased with city funds that had been budgeted for the stadium's construction as well as an extra $1.7-million windfall that the city expects to receive this year when it issues the stadium bonds. The new stadium, which will be designed and built by the Phillies, will now open in 2004, a year later than expected. But there appears to be little change in other provisions. The city plans to shoulder more annual costs for the team, such as paying utility bills and other stadium operating costs. However, Clearwater officials believe the costs will be somewhat offset by new revenues, such as profits from concerts at the stadium and new rent payments from the Phillies. Under the deal, the Phillies agree to remain in the city for at least 20 more years. Dunbar said the city plans to knock down Bomber Stadium and combine that city land with the Home Depot parcel to create the stadium site. Groups such as the Lady Bombers softball team that use the field will be directed to other city softball fields, Dunbar said, and the city plans to create additional softball facilities in the near future. About 280 parking spaces for team members and VIPs will be located near the new Philadelphia Phillies stadium, which could include a restaurant, memorabilia store and fitness center, according to the deal. Nearly 2,000 other spaces will be next door, located beside the Carpenter Field complex and at the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex, Dunbar said. The primary access to the new stadium will be via Old Coachman Road, he added. The last major sticking point was that the city needed Target's permission to build the stadium on a portion of the shopping center where the discount retailer is located, Dunbar said. Luckily, Mayor Brian Aungst bumped into shopping center maven Edward DeBartolo Jr. at a recent Yankees spring training game and persuaded him to help talk to officials at Target's parent corporation, Dayton Hudson Corp., about working with the city. Thursday, Dunbar said he learned that the company has decided not to impede the city's stadium deal. "I'm just doing what I can do," Aungst said.
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