Cal Ripken responds to Sarasota baseball complaints | News

SARASOTA, Florida - In response to a 10 News Investigators report and mounting public criticism over the failure to deliver on a perceived promise of a youth baseball complex, Cal Ripken Jr.'s baseball group is pointing the finger back at activists in Southwest Florida.

Three years ago, Sarasota landed Orioles spring training with a $31.2 million upgrades package and in exchange was promised benefits that included a Cal Ripken Jr. Youth Baseball Academy.  Similar complexes in Aberdeen, Md. and Myrtle Beach, S.C. draw thousands of travelers a year.

But the Orioles, who put out a press release in 2009 touting the Ripken academy, never wrote a guarantee into their contract with Sarasota County. Ripken is now in talks with neighboring Charlotte Co. to possibly build his youth academy in Port Charlotte.

While criticism so far has been targeted at commissioners and the Orioles, a spokesman for the Ripken Group issued a press release Wednesday that said the complex never materialized in Sarasota because of lawsuits from citizen critics:

"Ripken Baseball's intent is and always has been to associate with the Orioles whenever possible, however, the delay has been a matter of timing.  As you know, Cal Ripken visited Sarasota with the Orioles several years ago and he was excited about the possibility of a youth baseball facility in conjunction with the Orioles' spring training facilities. Due to the delays in the spring training project caused by litigation regarding the project, legitimate questions arose at that time whether the spring training facility would be approved and, therefore, the timing and likelihood for the youth facility was also in question.

"We understand the desire for more detailed information but, generally speaking, as a matter of business policy we don't comment on potential opportunities or negotiations so we cannot comment at this time on any prospective ventures."

Cathy Antones, president of Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government, helped file the suits and remains the biggest critic of the taxpayer-funded deal.  She says the reasoning from the Ripken Group is faulty:

The stadium project was completed on schedule.  Ed Smith Stadium renovations were completed for 2011 spring training as planned.

At the public hearing on July 22, 2009, Orioles attorney Alan Rifkin stated that Cal Ripken's "folks" would start fundraising for the Ripken Academy "immediately".  Mr. Rifkin read a statement from Cal Ripken Jr. about his plan to bring his youth academy to Sarasota.  The Cal Ripken Youth Academy was described as a "solid commitment" and "not a fly by night offer".  As the sunshine litigation was filed in late December 2009, nothing prevented the Orioles or Ripken Baseball from the immediate fundraising for the Cal Ripken Youth Academy that was pledged under oath on July 22, 2009.

The Sunshine Case was filed in late December 2009.  A Sarasota Court ruled in favor of the County in June 2010, and the Supreme Court reaffirmed the lower court's sunshine ruling in October 2010.  Recent news reports describe Cal Ripken Jr.'s discussions with Charlotte County as "preliminary".  Litigation ended 16 months ago.  It appears that serious negotiations between Cal Ripken Jr. and  Charlotte County began well after litigation ended.  Given the timing of Mr. Ripken's negotiations with Charlotte County,  claims that litigation interfered appear unfounded.  What prevents Ripken Baseball from building the academy in Sarasota County now?

We are concerned that the Orioles and Ripken Baseball have not engaged in a serious effort to raise funds for a Cal Ripken Youth Academy in Sarasota.  We understand that Cal Ripken Jr is asking Charlotte County to provide 10 million dollars for a Cal Ripken Youth Academy there.

It is disheartening to witness a baseball hero like Mr. Ripken work with the Orioles to publicly position his youth academy as a sure thing for Sarasota County, and then distance himself from that commitment and look elsewhere. 

Find 10 News Investigator Noah Pransky on Facebook or follow his updates on Twitter. Read his Sports Business Blog at Shadow of the Stadium.