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Proposal Would Help Sarasota's Baseball Search 2 More Years

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By JEREMY WALLACE

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Published: March 10, 2009

Sarasota County would get two more years to find a new spring training baseball team to replace the Cincinnati Reds, according to legislation the Florida Senate is expected to take up this afternoon.

State Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, said she'll propose an amendment to Senate Bill 1308 that would essentially give Sarasota and Sarasota County two more years to build a new stadium. If they don't find a team by the end of two years, the money would go back to the state.

The state has been sending monthly checks to Sarasota since March 2007 to help build a new stadium to retain the Reds or attract another team. Sarasota has received more than $958,000 so far, but has no team to show for it.

The Reds have announced plans to move their spring training operations to Arizona this year. The city has failed to work out deals to bring either the Boston Red Sox or Baltimore Orioles to Sarasota, though county officials say they are still talking to Orioles about the prospects of bringing that team from Fort Lauderdale.

Detert's proposal will likely come up during the Senate's Commerce Committee meeting this afternoon.

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