The Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ Bill Vilona gives an update on the 2022 season, which begins Friday, April 8. Lots of things happening at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
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I'm your huckleberry
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ Bill Vilona gives an update on the 2022 season, which begins Friday, April 8. Lots of things happening at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
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“The original lease between the city and the for-profit Blue Wahoos required the team to pay for minor league baseball upgrades to the stadium.†This isn’t in the original lease.
The Marlins required the upgrade to artificial turf. It has been reported several times by various media. No one “misled†the Pensacola City Council. The cost of replacing the field has always been an obligation of the city. Under the original lease, the city/CMPA was to create a capital maintenance fund for Capital Maintenance and Repairs.
Yes, lots of things “now” being paid for by city taxpayers. The original lease between the city and the for-profit Blue Wahoos required the team to pay for minor league baseball upgrades to the stadium. The Studers who own the team gradually began to work to shift the cost onto the backs of city taxpayers and were successful once their man Mayor Robinson was in office. The initial cost this year for what is being done is just under $2 million. That is city money that cannot be used for other projects to include storm water projects, housing repair grants to homeowners, etc. Robinson did not act alone. He only could do it for the Studers because the council went along with the scheme. Regarding the artificial grass, the council members were misled to believe that Major League Baseball had directed the change. It did not. Most Major and Minor League Baseball teams play on natural grass. The council was not told that artificial grass also has to be maintained and it does not last forever, it has to be replaced, now an expense for city taxpayers. I have several times suggested to the council that they sell Blue Wahoos Stadium to the Blue Wahoos that can maintain it and pay city and county and school district property taxes.