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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, June 2, 2009

MLB: Tucson sports authority to send offer to Orioles


Associated Press

TUCSON, Ariz. — Faced with losing two spring training teams, The Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority was expected to send a proposal this week to the Baltimore Orioles about the possibility of moving their spring training site from Florida to Tucson.

Sports authority chairman Tom Tracy said the proposal includes the Orioles training at Tucson Electric Park as soon as next spring. The Orioles currently train in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The sports authority said it has talked to Baltimore's executive vice president, John Angelos.

Baltimore officials declined to comment on the pending proposal.

The Orioles are also looking at Sarasota, Fla., and Fort Myers, Fla., as potential spring training sites.

"Most teams want to know what they're doing for spring training next year fairly soon," Tracy said. "We're going to know in a reasonably short period of time what their decision is."

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies train in Tucson. However, both teams are exploring options elsewhere because a two-team scenario creates a competitive disadvantage with other Cactus League teams based in the Phoenix area.

Tracy said he last heard from the teams about a month ago.

"They're in the middle of playing their regular season," Tracy said. "We stand ready to work closely with both teams if they want to stay in Southern Arizona. That said, I will tell you the authority has moved beyond that because we truly believe there are plenty of other teams that in the long term want to be in Southern Arizona."

The sports authority was also trying to lure Japanese teams to Tucson, Tracy said.

Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.azstarnet.com