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History, Heroes and Hot Dogs:
Jackie Robinson Ballpark

Monday, April 15, 2002

Ripken group eyeing ballpark

By JOHN BOZZO | News-Journal Staff Writer

DAYTONA BEACH — Baseball great Cal Ripken could join in the design work of the $18 million historic renovation of Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Friends of Daytona Baseball is negotiating with Ripken Management & Design, a subsidiary of Ripken Baseball, to help with design work.

"Nothing's been finalized yet," John Maroon, a Ripken spokesman, said in a telephone interview Friday. "Over the years, Cal's developed an expertise for baseball and a passion for the game. It's transferred in his retirement from playing to design work."

Ripken is building a minor-league ballpark and youth baseball academy in his hometown of Aberdeen, Md., where he's also involved in ownership of a minor league team.

He will be best remembered for playing 2,632 consecutive games from 1982 to 1998, breaking the Iron Man record previously set by Lou Gehrig of 2,131 consecutive games.

Meanwhile, city commissioners pushed ahead plans Wednesday for the Jackie Robinson Ballpark renovation and construction of a museum at the City Island facility.

In a preliminary vote, commissioners unanimously approved amending a lease of the city-owned ballpark to Friends of Daytona Baseball. A public hearing and final action on the lease are scheduled for the City Commission's meeting on April 24.

Commissioners leased the ballpark to Friends of Daytona Baseball two years ago for the company to finance the historic renovation and museum.

Mayor Bud Asher nearly balked Wednesday on approving the amended lease. "If there's one thing I think the city should have learned is that we shouldn't want something so much that we're willing to make a bad deal," Asher said.

Asher criticized a requirement for the city to pay a maximum of $1 million over five years for ballpark maintenance. He said commissioners had expected ballpark revenues to pay for maintenance.

Responding at Wednesday's meeting, John Leith-Tetrault, director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said the amended lease is a final step for a $2.2 million investment in the renovation by Banc of America. The trust is coordinating the investment.

Asher also quoted Daytona Cubs owner Andy Rayburn saying he could not afford a new lease proposed by Friends of Daytona Baseball. The Daytona Cubs, a minor-league team, are the main tenant at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Asher said he wanted a long-term deal to keep the Cubs team here.

But Michael Sullivan, a partner with The Leib Group, a consultant working with Friends of Daytona Baseball, said he wasn't surprised a baseball team owner said he couldn't afford a proposed lease. "Of course he's going to say that," he said.

Doug Daniels, a local attorney representing Friends of Daytona Baseball, told commission ers Wednesday that requiring a lease with the Cubs would give Rayburn a "hammer" in negotiations.

An attempt to reach Rayburn for a comment was not successful. The Cubs signed a five-year lease to play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in July 2000.

Commissioner Yvonne Scarlett-Golden's voice choked with tears as she spoke in support of the renovation at Wednesday's meeting. She remembers growing up here during the years of discrimination and the excitement of Jackie Robinson's breakthrough for civil rights.

Robinson played on the first integrated team in the modern history of professional baseball in March 1946 at what was then City Island Stadium. Other cities in Florida refused to allow Robinson to play. He broke the Major League color barrier in 1947.

"I recall vividly running down to the ballpark and waiting to see him," Scarlett-Golden said.

Darden Jenkins, president of Friends of Daytona Baseball, said the city could opt out of the contract in five years if he fails.

"You guys can can me if I don't come through," he said. "I still have to raise $3 million in donations."

Other financing for the renovation include grants and city redevelopment money.

Commissioner George Burden said the Cubs would probably leave anyway if there was no renovation, and the risk of $1 million over five years was not overwhelming.

And Commissioner Charles Cherry said the deal was worth the risk and could pay dividends for the nearby shops on Beach Street.

"It's integral part of downtown redevelopment," he said of the stadium renovation.

Leith-Tetrault, the national trust director, said no one is getting rich on the renovation, and consultants have donated much of their time because of the historic significance of the ballpark.

"Every one of us is in this project for what it represents," he said.

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