Comments on: Blue Wahoos Switching To Artificial Turf http://www.northescambia.com/2021/12/blue-wahoos-switching-to-artificial-turf Local News for Molino, Bratt, McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill, Cantonment Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:45:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bill http://www.northescambia.com/2021/12/blue-wahoos-switching-to-artificial-turf/comment-page-1#comment-476682 Bill Mon, 27 Dec 2021 12:14:41 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=464434#comment-476682 Booooooooooooooo Booooooooooooooo

]]> By: CJ Lewis http://www.northescambia.com/2021/12/blue-wahoos-switching-to-artificial-turf/comment-page-1#comment-476325 CJ Lewis Wed, 22 Dec 2021 21:10:48 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=464434#comment-476325 Long story short, the for-profit Blue Wahoo's agreed in 2011 to pay for all minor league baseball changes to the city-owned stadium. This was a mutually-agreed upon contract term for a 20-year deal. Mayor Hayward even publicly thanked Mr. Studer for agreeing to a deal that most favorable to the Blue Wahoo's was fair enough to the city. However, in 2021, the team presented a list of nearly $2 million in changes it wanted made to the stadium specifically for minor league baseball. The team said that it could not afford to pay for the changes. Team co-owner Quint Studer openly insinuated that if the city did not agree to pay for the changes he might have to move the team to a new city. Which one? Gulf Breeze? City council members were lobbied and pressured behind closed doors. The Blue Wahoo's drafted a very one-sided contract that Mayor Robinson rammed through the city council. The city council agreed to reimburse the Blue Wahoo's for the changes. This is the new contract term for the next ten years. For this first set of changes to include the plastic grass, it is going to cost city taxpayers $2 million. A minor saving grace is that because of the "CRA" funding scheme used most of the cost is being paid by county property taxes paid by Escambia County property owners. Most of the tax dollars being used to subsidize downtown redevelopment are coming from county property taxes. Commissioner Barry can explain. Long story short, the for-profit Blue Wahoo’s agreed in 2011 to pay for all minor league baseball changes to the city-owned stadium. This was a mutually-agreed upon contract term for a 20-year deal. Mayor Hayward even publicly thanked Mr. Studer for agreeing to a deal that most favorable to the Blue Wahoo’s was fair enough to the city. However, in 2021, the team presented a list of nearly $2 million in changes it wanted made to the stadium specifically for minor league baseball. The team said that it could not afford to pay for the changes. Team co-owner Quint Studer openly insinuated that if the city did not agree to pay for the changes he might have to move the team to a new city. Which one? Gulf Breeze? City council members were lobbied and pressured behind closed doors. The Blue Wahoo’s drafted a very one-sided contract that Mayor Robinson rammed through the city council. The city council agreed to reimburse the Blue Wahoo’s for the changes. This is the new contract term for the next ten years. For this first set of changes to include the plastic grass, it is going to cost city taxpayers $2 million. A minor saving grace is that because of the “CRA” funding scheme used most of the cost is being paid by county property taxes paid by Escambia County property owners. Most of the tax dollars being used to subsidize downtown redevelopment are coming from county property taxes. Commissioner Barry can explain.

]]> By: bob c http://www.northescambia.com/2021/12/blue-wahoos-switching-to-artificial-turf/comment-page-1#comment-476268 bob c Wed, 22 Dec 2021 12:08:25 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=464434#comment-476268 Seems to be a perfect time to take the sod across Main Street and put it down onto the very fertile ground where the old ECUA Sewage-Wastewater plant used to be. It would look much better there helping to control any erosion and runoff. Lots of money being spent downtown. How about fix the potholes and whoop-de-dos on the streets and roadways? Merry Christmas to ALL at NorthEscambia and Thank You for telling us the TRUE FACTS. God Bless the USA Seems to be a perfect time to take the sod across Main Street and put it down onto the very fertile ground where the old ECUA Sewage-Wastewater plant used to be.
It would look much better there helping to control any erosion and runoff.
Lots of money being spent downtown. How about fix the potholes and whoop-de-dos on the streets and roadways?
Merry Christmas to ALL at NorthEscambia and Thank You for telling us the TRUE FACTS.
God Bless the USA

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