July 12, 2010

Play Ball!

Construction for the Baltimore Orioles spring training facility will continue -- at least for now.  A Sarasota County judged ruled last week that there was no intentional violation of Sunshine Laws by County Commissioners when they negotiated a $32 million deal with the baseball team to move to Sarasota from Ft. Lauderdale.  Is this the end to the baseball stadium saga?  We'll see.  If the citizens group which filed the lawsuit appeals the judge's decision, the case will go straight to the Florida Supreme Court.  In the meantime, the renovation goes on.  When I took this photo at lunchtime, workers were taking turns in the 91-degree heat swinging a sledgehammer to break the concrete wall on the second floor.  That's intense.  This is how the stadium looked when the demolition started a few weeks ago. 

9 comments:

gogouci said...

I don't envy those workers having to work so hard in that heat. Makes me thankful I work in an environmentally controlled area...underground...with no windows.

James Mark said...

More interesting reportage. What are the Sunshine Laws?

Jim Klenke said...

Looks like an old ship deck.

B SQUARED said...

We were sorry to see them go but the money needed to keep them was too much for these times.

Pedro D. H. said...

i hope it get donne until 2011. I'll be there on january!

Lois said...

I don't know how they tolerate the heat!

Leslie D. said...

Interesting story (impressive that you're so well informed about city dealings) and impressive work ethic with these guys too. Good old honest physical labor!

SRQ said...

Pedro: The stadium is scheduled to be finished by March 2011 -- in time for the Orioles' spring training season.

James: In 1994, Florida voters approved a state constitutional amendment requiring meetings of elected and appointed bodies be open to the public (with a few exceptions). Elected officials cannot discuss anything privately amongst themselves (two or more) which they might eventually take a vote on. All talks are required to be conducted out in the open -- "out in the sunshine" -- not in a dark, smoked filled room. That includes email, which was the point in question with the stadium lawsuit.

T. Becque said...

No kidding, I don't know how those guys work in that heat! Same with ours over here.