Vero Beach to Receive State Funds

The Florida state legislature passed a bill that would provide $7.5 million to a plan designed to persuade the Dodgers to remain at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla., the club was informed Monday.

Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.) is expected to sign the bill that has been designated to help Indian River County and the city of Vero Beach purchase Dodgertown from the team, make improvements to the sprawling spring-training facility and lease it to the Dodgers. The Dodgers have trained at the site for more than 50 years.

The Dodgers, who also are considering moving to a proposed multiteam complex in Las Vegas, stressed that the situation is far from resolved.

But things are becoming clearer, team officials said.

“Well, we’re getting there,” said senior vice president Derrick Hall, among the members of a team committee overseeing the situation. “We still have to wait for the governor to sign it, but this certainly makes it more enticing for us to stay there.

“Although we’re encouraged about what’s happening in Florida, we owe it to ourselves, and to Las Vegas, to explore all of our options. We have to see what their offer is.”

The Dodgers said in March they would return to Vero Beach for the 2001 exhibition season.

“At this stage of the game, nothing has changed,” Hall said. “It certainly appears that we have to plan for spring in Vero in 2001.

“Our focus is totally on the season right now, but we would also like to be able to reach a conclusion soon.”