CLEARWATER — The Philadelphia Phillies have resumed conversations with Clearwater and Pinellas County about revamping their spring training site since pausing them after last year’s hurricanes.
The team has proposed ambitious renovations for years, but have been unable to reach an agreement with either side.
While the team has not yet brought forward an official proposal for a new round of talks, City Manager Jennifer Poirrier, designated the city’s lead in negotiations, expressed cautious optimism about reaching an agreement.
“The Phillies organization definitely seems to have been listening to the community and our feedback on some of the ideas that we’ve discussed,” said Poirrier.
County Administrator Barry Burton has attended the meetings between Clearwater and the Phillies because of the expectation the baseball team will seek money from the Pinellas tax on short-term lodging.
“Our involvement is because the Phillies bring in tourism,” said Burton. “Our understanding is that they will request bed tax dollars, which is why I am at these meetings listening to their ideas.”
In 2019, the Phillies requested $40 million from the Pinellas bed tax for a $79.7 million renovation to BayCare Ballpark, which is also home to the Clearwater Threshers, a Phillies minor league affiliate, and the adjacent Carpenter Complex training fields.
County commissioners balked at the request. They had given $41.7 million in bed tax to help renovate the Dunedin spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays for more than three decades the previous year. But the Phillies facilities, built in 2004, are far newer.
Since then, the BayCare Ballpark proposals have been less specific. Estimated project costs have floated around, but neither the Phillies nor Pinellas or Clearwater officials have committed to paying a certain amount.
The Phillies presented plans to turn their facilities into a year-round player development site in 2022, estimating a $300 million price tag. The team updated its plans to include a $250 million residential, dining and shopping complex called Ballpark Village after purchasing 13 acres just to the south for $22.5 million in November 2023.
Despite the extravagant proposals, a scaled-down project is expected to advance before a larger overhaul is reconsidered.
In 2024, former Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst Sr. said the larger project was on hold due to changes in Phillies’ ownership and he expected a proposal of roughly $65 million focusing on the stadium to be submitted. Aungst said he did not know how much the team planned on asking the city and county to contribute, or when it planned on submitting an application for public money.
An initial scaled-down version still seems to be the plan moving forward, Poirrier said. But she said she is open to further developments in the future.
“We look at the U.S. 19 corridor as an incredible economic development opportunity,” said Poirrier. “We’re going to dream big as it relates to the opportunities out there, and wouldn’t want to limit it in any way, shape or form.”
The next meeting of the parties was scheduled for Aug. 1.
Clearwater has not rehired the sports management consulting firm it used in the past, but could do so later, Poirrier said. Aside from Poirrier, only City Attorney David Margolis has attended the recent meetings from Clearwater’s end.
Clearwater paid CAA Icon $264,259 for negotiations with the Phillies between May 2019 and April 2021.
John Timberlake, Doug Kemp and John Nickolas have primarily represented the Phillies in the meetings this summer, Poirrier said. They hold the titles of director of Florida operations, general manager of BayCare Ballpark and chief financial officer, respectively.
Timberlake did not respond to requests for comment made through text messages and phone calls.
Local officials will also meet with Phillies representatives when they make their annual trip up to Philadelphia at the end of August. Poirrier and Burton will be making the trip, while Margolis will not. Poirrier said it is not confirmed yet who else from city council will attend.
The organization has held spring training games in Clearwater since 1947. It is a longstanding tradition for team executives to invite local officials to watch games at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies’ regular season home.
In the past, taxpayer money has covered the trip, while the Phillies treat officials to dinners and game tickets, sometimes even inviting them to watch the game from the owner’s suite.
The Phillies have also made donations in the Clearwater area. The team donated $1 million to aid storm recovery efforts in November, and have previously made contributions to political campaigns.
Poirrier said she is unsure if the trip will have any effect on the still unclear timeline of talks between Clearwater and the Phillies. There are currently no scheduled meetings to discuss negotiations during the Philadelphia trip.
“I think I’m safe to speak for everybody that we would like to have it done as soon as possible, but I don’t have a timeframe,” said Poirrier.