IT'S NOT EXACTLY CRAWLING BACK, BUT THERE'S HOPE FOR WINTER HAVEN IN THE SPRING TRAINING GAME

The Cleveland Indians are now saying they are interested in reopening talks with the City of Winter Haven regarding the possibility of keeping their spring training base there, possibly long term.

The Major League Baseball team has wanted to leave Chain O'Lakes Stadium in favour of a new facility, and has held informal discussions with several other Florida cities over the possibility of relocating...but at the host city's expense. There had been some talk of remaining in Winter Haven previously, but the Tribe said then they were not interested in sharing costs of building a new complex.

As the other cities have apparantly expressed no interest or inability to foot the entire bill for building a spring training complex and moving the team there, Indians owner Paul Dolan had meetings last Tuesday and Wednesday with city and Polk County officials about what could be done to keep the team in Polk County.

According to today's Lakeland Ledger, County Commissioner Jack Myers, also Chairman of the county's Tourist Development Council, was optimistic over the possibility. However, he said that it would take a four way city/county/state/team partnership for a possible new spring training complex, and possibly require a second MLB team to relocate there.

There was a time in the not-too-distant past, where city commissioners in Winter Haven were saying, in effect, "Good riddance!". The city currently loses around $1 million in general funds annually to host the team. And with property rates continuing to head upward, the city wants to redevelop the lakefront site where Chain O'Lakes Stadium currently sits for mixed commercial/residential usage. But if an agreement can be reached that will involve a share of cost which includes the Indians as well as the local and state governments where city taxpayers won't be screwed as they are now, it would be great to maintain Winter Haven and Polk County as a place for people to visit...and spend their expendable money.