Tribe moving spring training home back to Arizona

[Baseball Guru]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians have agreed to move their spring training home from Florida to the Phoenix suburb of Goodyear.

The Indians trained in Tucson until 1993 and had been considering relocating their spring training operations from Winter Haven, Fla., to the Orlando area.


Goodyear leaders and team representatives spent Thursday ironing out details that would commit the Indians to become the Cactus League's 13th team.

The next step is to apply for public funding from the sports authority to help pay for the proposed $77.5 million spring training facility.

A financial plan from the city shows the deal relies on sports authority money for about $60 million of the project, which envisions a 10,000-seat stadium to be ready for spring training in 2009.

Goodyear and the Indians still have to sign a memorandum of understanding to cement the deal and officials said that may happen this week.

[Baseball Guru]

Well this sucks!:grouchy

We are losing ANOTHER team down here!!

Would have been sweet if they relocated to the Orlando area..

I've been going to Winter Haven to see ballgames since the laste 80's when the Red Sox used to be there and I usually make at least 1 trip over there a year to see a Mets/Indians game...

[Solair Wright]

Arizona isn't a very good state for baseball, no offense. The heat is dangerous, and the factor of heat strokes is very common for anyone there. If I were Bud Selig, I would move them to a much more habitable area with Spring Training hopes: California, and best part: any team that plays there gets THEIR ballpark as their Spring Training game. In addition, Arizona is very desolate and unfriendly weather and climate wise.

I wish Cleveland would have stayed in Florida for Spring Training next year.

[KCGHOST]

Yeah, Phoenix in February and March just sucks. :laugh :laugh

[Ytown Tribe fan]

It's for the best. Just take a glance at Local 6 in Orlando any given day, and you will see.

Florida is where people go to die horrible and stupid deaths.

[Valhalla]

Arizona is much better in the Spring than Florida. I grew up playing baseball in Arizona and going to Indians Spring Training back when they were in Tucson. I currently live in Florida and go down to Winter Haven when I can. I have to tell you, I think the Arizona move is a good thing, even though I will have to put far more effort into getting out to Cactus League games. I think it will be better for the players and the team but rougher on the fans living in Cleveland who liked to go to Florida. However, back in the day, the die-hards would come out to Tucson from Ohio. I know I'll make the trip from Florida!

[skeletor]

Well this sucks!:grouchy

We are losing ANOTHER team down here!!

Would have been sweet if they relocated to the Orlando area..

I've been going to Winter Haven to see ballgames since the laste 80's when the Red Sox used to be there and I usually make at least 1 trip over there a year to see a Mets/Indians game...

what was wrong with winter haven ? poor stadium ? so so crowds ?
club wanting a better sweetheart deal from the city ? would Orlando
been a better fit ?