SPORTS ECONOMY
REBOOTING A SPORTS LEGACY
ADAM KING
The Historic Dodgertown sports facility in Vero Beach, shown in this aerial view, has been renamed the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.
Major League Baseball returns to Dodgertown
TCBusiness.com 35
Major League Baseball took over management
of Historic Dodgertown in Vero
Beach, announcing in April it is renaming
the facility the Jackie Robinson Training
Complex after the Hall of Famer who broke
the color barrier when he signed with the
Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. MLB began
managing the property following a leasing
agreement.
The move will be an additional boost to
the Vero Beach economy. Historic Dodgertown
was known as Dodgertown, the
spring training base of the Brooklyn then
Los Angeles Dodgers for 61 years. Since
the Dodgers left in 2008, it has been run
as a multi-sports facility where youth and
professional teams can train.
In 2017, Peter O’Malley, chairman of
Historic Dodgertown, and Indian River
County officials began talking to Major
League Baseball. O’Malley is also former
owner and president of the Los Angeles
Dodgers. In December 2018 the three parties
reached an agreement. Per a county
memorandum summarizing the Historic
Dodgertown Facility Lease Agreement,
MLB will lease the complex by purchasing
from the O’Malley group its interest in
Verotown, LLC, the lease entity.
The transfer of the lease from O’Malley
to MLB took place on Jan. 2, 2019.The new
lease will be for 10 years and eight months
with three five-year renewable options.
Indian River County will repair or replace
all building roofs, the concession stands
and the press box. These are defined as
county improvements. The county states
that these repairs or replacements “would
be necessary” for anyone continuing to
operate the facility.
Also, within the first three years,
Verotown (MLB) will spend $10 million for
Verotown improvements to the complex.
This includes a new indoor training facility,
replacement of all seating in Holman
Stadium, a new scoreboard, an NCAA
standard turf baseball field, hotel room
upgrades, plus other improvements. >>
BY RODY JOHNSON
/TCBusiness.com