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Thursday, January 31, 2002 Private investors back Robinson Ballpark projectBy JOHN BOZZO | News-Journal Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH — With baseball season just around the corner, city officials are getting the ball rolling to help pay for renovation of civil rights landmark Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Two national historic preservation partners have agreed to provide $2.2 million for the renovation, the first private investment. A vote by the City Commission is expected Feb. 20 on a deal with Bank of America and the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the $18 million project that also includes building a museum to honor Robinson. "It validates the importance of this site on the national level and the commitment of the National Trust on protecting the irreplaceable," said Suzanne Kuehn, the city's economic development administrator. 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 Baseball color barrier in 1947. The stadium was renamed to honor Robinson in the late 1980s. "What this represents is a national institution and a private company that studied the story and are not only putting their faith behind the project, they're putting their money behind it," said Darden Jenkins, president of Friends of Daytona Baseball. Jenkins has led efforts to renovate the city-owned stadium for more than two years. Daytona Beach already has spent $2.2 million on repairs to the ballpark after damage from Hurricane Floyd in 1999. John Leith-Tetrault, a National Trust director, said the ballpark renovation is a win-win proposition. The trust gets to protect a historic site and the bank gets a $2.2 million federal income tax write-off. Federal officials say this is the first sports stadium to qualify for federal tax credits. "Landmarks like the Jackie Robinson Ballpark are essential," Leith-Tetrault said. "We need to save places like Jackie Robinson Ballpark to emphasize that the history of America belongs to everybody." Officials with Bank of America and the National Trust have promised to help raise an estimated $3.8 million in contributions for the renovation. City officials also plan to apply for a $1.2 million ECHO grant from Volusia County. Other funding sources include scoreboard naming rights, museum grants and fee waivers by the city. Daytona Beach also would provide a $5.4 million loan to be repaid from stadium operations and so-called tax-increment financing. As property values increase in redevelopment areas, much of the higher tax collections go into a trust fund that's spent to make more improvements in that area. The renovation plan would put the city-owned ballpark on the property tax rolls. The city would lease the ballpark to Friends of Daytona Baseball for 45 years, making it subject to taxes as well as lease payments to the city. One key to ballpark income is a long-term deal with the Daytona Cubs, a Minor League Baseball team and the main tenant at the ballpark. The Cubs are in the second year of a five-year deal to play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Andy Rayburn, owner of the Daytona Cubs, did not return a call for comment Wednesday. |
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