PALM COAST — After ironing out details on maintenance and concessions rules, a new collegiate baseball league is coming to Palm Coast this summer.
Baseball Field 2 at the Indian Trails Sports Complex will be the home of the Palm Coast Big Buoys as they compete against other collegiate teams from New Smyrna Beach, Cocoa Beach and St. Augustine.
The teams comprise the newly formed Orange State League — a “collegiate wood bat baseball league making its debut in the sunny state of Florida,” according to its website.
The City Council approved an agreement with the team after holding off on the decision a few weeks ago.
With the site being home to other games, many of which are organized by the local Palm Coast Little League, council members were originally concerned about the lack of specifics in the contract related to facility and restroom maintenance; whether the new league would have full access to concession stands, and other provisions.
What will Orange State League games look like in Palm Coast?
The final version of the agreement establishes that the Players League – the entity behind Orange State League – can retain all the money generated from the sale of its merchandise at Field 2.
The organizers won’t operate concessions stands at the sports complex nor sell any food or drinks at the site.
The Player League is also responsible for “ensuring Baseball Field 2 … is returned to its original state of cleanliness at the conclusion of each use,” including its “dugouts, bleachers, spectator areas and parking lots.”
Organizers will have to ensure those areas around the field “are completely cleared of trash, debris and litter.”
In addition, the league will have non-exclusive rights to use Field 2 and batting cages subject to the city’s Park and Recreation Department’s master schedule.
The organization will also be subject to the complex’s rental fees, which at Indian Trails include a $250 charge per season for the use of one field.
The agreement is valid for the next three years, with the possibility of extending the contract for another three years upon the league’s request.
When do Orange State League games begin in Palm Coast?
The first game at Indian Trails’ Field 2 is scheduled for 7 p.m. on June 17, when the Palm Coast Big Buoys play the New Smyrna Gnarlies. The Indian Trails Sports Complex will host 17 additional league games throughout July.
The Orange State League features three other teams: the Cocoa Beach Tailgators, the New Smyrna Gnarlies, and the St. Augustine Sardines.
The Palm Coast Big Buoys “features top college players from across the country who spend the summer honing their skills in a competitive wood bat environment,” according to the team’s website.
According to a memo from city staff, the new league will promote “the growth of amateur athletics within the community.”
“The Orange State League is expected to attract players, families and visitors to the area, providing both recreational and potential economic benefits to the city of Palm Coast,” the memo said.
For information about the new league, visit orangestateleague.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Palm Coast to host collegiate baseball team this summer. What to know
Reporting by Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
