KISSIMMEE, Fla. – With several Major League Baseball teams around the country searching for new places to base their spring training sessions, Kissimmee officials are hoping to court at least one team and bring in some revenue for the city.
One of the teams being eyed to make Kissimmee its spring training home is the Washington Nationals, who officials said would pay for a portion of the proposed 9,000-seat stadium.
Officials said the facility would cost the city $98 million, with the Nationals picking up the rest of the cost. They also said the stadium could generate $173 million a year for the county and attract 200,000 fans each spring if two teams made the stadium their home.
Osceola County officials want to keep MLB spring training in the county, especially because the team that currently plays in the Osceola County Stadium, the Houston Astros, could be leaving in a few years.
The Nationals' proposed contract is 30 years.
Tourism and business leaders said they don't yet have the specifics for the project and are asking commissioners to take more time considering the project.