LV, Florida bidding for Dodger spring training

Friday, June 9, 2000 | 10:51 a.m.

It would appear that the Los Angeles Dodgers may go to the highest bidder as far as their spring training headquarters is concerned.

Dodgers representatives are in Florida today to negotiate with officials from Indian River County and the city of Vero Beach about a 20-year spring training lease. Face-to-face negotiations are expected to be wrapped up today, but a final proposal isn't expected until next week.

Much of Vero Beach's and Indian River County's proposal centers on how much revenue the Dodgers would receive from ticket sales, concessions, parking, etc. The city and county have $20 million worth of funding to use.

"It's getting close in Vero Beach (to a final proposal), but they're not done," Dodgers senior vice president Derrick Hall said.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers say they also have received a proposal from Las Vegas officials. The Las Vegas offer has a couple of major issues that must be resolved, including how the revenue would be split and whether six teams would commit to a desert league.

Dodgers officials have said they would prefer a six-team complex so they wouldn't have to travel to Arizona for games.

But a bigger sticking point is how the revenue would be split after operating and management costs are paid. The Dodgers believe they should get a higher percentage than the other teams (Texas, Toronto, Baltimore, Cleveland and Houston) because they are the marquee draw to the complex.

Las Vegas Stars president Don Logan, who is serving as the point man for the spring training negotiations, has been involved in behind-the-scenes meetings with Dodgers officials. But Logan and Mayor Oscar Goodman both denied a Los Angeles Times report that said the city was prepared to offer the Dodgers a $5 million bonus to move their spring camp to Las Vegas.