Vote paves way for Braves’ departure

North Port is about 35 miles southeast of Sarasota.

The city's vote follows the Sarasota County Commission's unanimous vote on the same agreement last week. The deal outlines the responsibilities for the financing, construction and operation of the stadium and practice facilities in the heart of the West Villages development just off U.S. 41 and River Road in south Sarasota County.

The complex will be owned by the county, operated by the team and built by contractors under the direction of the West Villages. The campus will include an 8,000-seat stadium with six full-sized practice fields, a public plaza, an eventual yearround player development academy and five multipurpose fields for overflow parking during spring training and public use most of the rest of the year.

The county has committed about $21 million from its existing tourist tax funding for the project, North Port $4.7 million and the state has approved a $20 million grant. The West Villages Improvement District, the public body that oversees the development of the West Villages, will contribute another $4.7 million and manage the construction.

Although the final price tag is considerably higher than the roughly $75 million estimate initially cited, the team will pick up the remainder of the tab. The Braves' obligations include almost $37.5 million in debt payments on the stadium over the next 30 years and another $18 million in architecture, engineering and construction, according to the final financing documents.