EXPLANATION OF REQUEST: The City Commission has been asked to consider passing a Resolution in support of the Atlanta Braves returning to Palm Beach County for their spring training.
The Atlanta Braves trained in PBC from 1963 to 1997 when they moved to Orlando, and now, with their current spring training stadium lease expiring at the end of 2017, they are looking to return to PBC to establish a new spring training stadium.
All the criteria that were required for a site are met at John Prince Park. According to Palm Beach County, reports show that baseball spring training is a proven economic driver and creates jobs. The proposed stadium as an estimated yearly $95 million return on investment and is predicted to create nearly 1,300 total jobs. Following the construction phase of the stadium, the ballpark is expected to maintain an estimated 1,100 of those jobs.
It is believed that this type of project aids economic development and enhances our local communities.