Spring Site Ruled Out

The Dodgers are no longer considering the Fort McDowell Indian Community as a possible spring training site because of major unresolved financial concerns, and those hurdles made completing the proposed deal unlikely from the outset, The Times has learned.

Moreover, the tribe’s offer to the Dodgers in July was the first the organization received during the year-long negotiating process, several industry sources said Monday.

And that proposal, which tribal officials said was their final offer, still failed to address many key issues in the ambitious plan to build the team a new spring training complex on the Phoenix-area reservation. The Dodgers will return to Vero Beach, Fla., their spring home of 51 years, for at least another season.

The Times reported last Wednesday that the Dodgers had rejected the tribe’s offer, but Dodger officials intimated Fort McDowell might remerge among the ballclub’s potential suitors to build the team a new spring training home.

However, the tribe’s shaky proposal has forced the Dodgers to shun Fort McDowell in favor of sites that can offer the ballclub more specific and financially sound plans. Las Vegas officials hope to lure the Dodgers there for spring training as well as acquire their triple-A affiliate. The Dodgers’ lease with Albuquerque expires after this season.

Primary among the revelations is that tribal officials sought to be guaranteed $1.25-million annually regardless of the revenues generated by proposed complex, which was projected to include a 12,000-seat stadium, six practice fields and offices on a 76-acre site.

Tribal officials were unwilling to move forward with the project, which would have included the Dodgers signing a 25-year lease, unless they were guaranteed that stream of revenue throughout the length of the lease.

Dodger officials inquired about a third party possibly being involved in the process in an attempt to meet the tribe’s mandate.

According to one source, Sam Fernandez, Dodger secretary and general counsel, even contacted concert promoters about booking events at the reservation in hopes of generating additional revenue that could have been applied toward the $1.25-million figure. Fernandez was unable to secure additional funding.

Fernandez and Fred Coons, the Dodger director of business development, were the organization’s point-men in negotiations with Fort McDowell. Neither returned phone calls Monday. Team President Bob Graziano declined to comment about The Times’ story. Fort McDowell officials were also unavailable.

In addition to concerns about the revenue guarantee, the Dodgers also were leery about the tribe’s cost projections for the project. The tribe announced it would spend $40 million to build a scaled-down version of its initial plan, shaving $10 million from the construction budget by eliminating housing and recreational facilities from the original blueprint.

However, sources said $40 million would have only covered the infrastructure (roads, water, electricity, etc.) and baseball facility. Many more millions would have been required to make the proposed deal work.

In addition, tribal officials did not present a finalized revenue-split proposal, covering areas such as tickets and maintenance costs. And tribal officials also vacillated on plans to expand the proposed development with hotels and golf courses, which the Dodgers sought to increase tourism to the site and provide additional revenue.

Instead, it appeared the Dodgers would be the centerpiece of the deal without other partners emerging in the foreseeable future.

*

Carlos Perez made his second start for triple-A Albuquerque on Monday, giving up seven runs and nint hits in five innings against Calgary.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Montreal Expos, three games.

* Site--Olympic Stadium.

* Today--4 PDT.

* TV--Fox Sports West 2 every game.

* Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Dodgers 50-62, Expos 44-64.

* Record vs. Expos--2-1.

* Tickets--(213) 224-1448

TODAY

DODGERS’

ISMAEL VALDES

(8-10, 3.31 ERA)

vs.

EXPOS’

MIKE THURMAN

(4-7, 4.21 ERA)

* Update--Right-hander Mike Judd will be recalled today from triple-A Albuquerque to start Thursday, Manager Davey Johnson said. The rookie was 8-7 with a 6.67 earned-run average for the Dukes.

* Wednesday, 4 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (6-9, 5.78) vs. Dan Smith (3-6, 5.96).

* Thursday, 10:30 a.m.--Mike Judd (first game) vs. Dustin Hermanson (5-10, 5.09).