Spring Training at CoolToday Park

Lore & Background

Private and public sources funded the Braves' $140 million project. Sarasota County contributed $21.2 million through hotel bed tax dollars. The state of Florida put in $20 million after showing the Braves' arrival would add $1.7 billion economic impact on the area over the team's 30-year lease. Mattamy Homes, a private developer, donated the land and $4.7 million. The city of North Port contributed $4.7 million, and Wellen Park, the planned community within North Port that houses the facility, ran the construction and development. The Braves committed a 30-year lease, annual payments to Wellen Park, and at a minimum the first $18 million in the cost of the complex. From 1998 to 2019, the Braves held spring training at Champion Stadium near Orlando. The Braves began looking for a new spring training home in 2015 to reduce travel times. In April 2016, the Braves and Sarasota County officials announced they were in formal negotiations. In January 2017, the Braves and Sarasota County reached a formal agreement. Early proposals called for a $100 million complex on approximately 70 acres. About six weeks after exclusive negotiations began, the two sides reached agreement on primary terms, outlining a $100 million facility. Between February and September 2017, multiple governmental approvals finalized the financing and development framework. The Sarasota County Commission approved an initial term sheet on February 28, 2017, followed by a May 9 decision to allocate tourist development tax. On May 23, the county unanimously approved a 30-year operating and non-relocation agreement with the Braves, setting a target construction completion date of January 15, 2019. In June 2017, Wellen Park sought $20 million in state grant funding, while North Port approved a public use licensing agreement. The North Port City Commission approved $4.7 million in local funding on July 25, 2017, followed by conditional approval of $20 million in state funding on September 1, 2017. Sarasota County commissioners unanimously approved final agreements on September 12, 2017. Final public approval was granted by the North Port City Commission on September 19, 2017. By September 2017, preliminary site work was underway. On September 1, 2017, the Braves named Mike Dunn as Vice President of Florida Operations. On October 16, 2017, a formal groundbreaking was held for the planned complex.

In Their Own Story

The morning mist still clings to the outfield grass at CoolToday Park when the first fans arrive before dawn. Inside Gate A, the air smells of freshly cut turf and sunscreen. A young fan in a vintage Hank Aaron jersey watches intently as pitchers warm up on the mound, the rhythmic thwack of bats echoing across the quiet complex, signaling another year of hope beginning.

Reader's Guide

CoolToday Park includes 6,200 permanent seats and can hold approximately 8,000 spectators when berm and standing room areas are used. The complex also contains the team clubhouse, player development and training facilities, six practice baseball fields, six multi-use fields, and space dedicated to the organization's sports medicine academy. The main stadium is located on the northern portion of the property, immediately south of a proposed elementary and middle school campus. A public plaza along West Villages Parkway is designed to function as an event space when baseball activities are not taking place. Practice and multi-use fields occupy the southern and eastern areas of the approximately 70 to 75 acres site. The multi-use fields are used for overflow parking during spring training and serve as public recreation space for local schools and tournaments. The ballpark incorporates several familiar facets from other Grapefruit League facilities. The clubhouse behind the right field fence is reminiscent of Charlotte Sports Park. An outfield grandstand is similar to Bradenton's LECOM Park. The berm in left field is common to many spring training facilities. The ballpark has a left-field tiki bar, as does the Phillies' Spectrum Field in Clearwater. The outfield dimensions mirror those of Truist Park, the Braves' home stadium.

Did You Know?

• CoolToday Park opened on March 24, 2019, with the Braves' 4–2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
• The Braves' previous spring training home was Champion Stadium near Orlando, not North Port.
• The project cost $140 million, funded by private and public sources including Sarasota County, the state of Florida, Mattamy Homes, the city of North Port, and the Braves.
• The ballpark's outfield dimensions mirror those of Truist Park, the Braves' home stadium.