PALM COAST — A new collegiate baseball summer league could be coming soon to the Indian Trails Sports Complex, but the city wants to ensure terms of the agreement are set before games begin.
The City Council May 5 voted unanimously to table approving an agreement with the newly established Orange State League — a “collegiate wood bat baseball league making its debut in the sunny state of Florida,” according to its website.
Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri raised concerns over parts of the agreement that she argued weren’t specific enough to establish a few key provisions.
Among those concerns was whether the city had spoken to and ironed out details with the local Palm Coast Little League — a nonprofit organization that operates several other events and leagues at the Indian Trails Sports Complex.
“We need to make sure we have consistency between this agreement and the agreement we have with any other leagues that are using the facility simultaneously … and who needs to be responsible for what,” the vice mayor said, referring to establishing who would be responsible for maintenance of the facility and restrooms, if the new league would have full access to concession stands, and other provisions.
The eight fields at the Indian Trails Sports Complex host several other sports events and leagues, but issues like “limited field space” and permitting are some of the recurring problems with the facility, the vice mayor said.
“I welcome new leagues,” Pontieri said. “I don’t want to be misconstrued. I think this is really cool, actually. I just want to make sure … we are not adding another iron into the fire that is going to create further issues that we can’t accommodate.”
Councilman Ty Miller said that while the Orange State League “is a great thing,” he also wanted to make sure that “Little League is comfortable with this agreement as well.”
“Because they are an asset to our community,” Miller said. “They provide an opportunity for the youth in our community to play.”
What is the proposed Orange State League in Palm Coast?
James Hirst, the city’s Parks and Recreation director, said that The Players League — the entity behind Orange State League — came to the city with the proposal for the new league in 2025.
The Orange State League will feature four teams: the Cocoa Beach Tailgators, the New Smyrna Gnarlies, the St. Augustine Sardines and the Palm Coast Big Buoys.
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.
The complex’s Baseball Field 2 would be home to the Palm Coast team’s home games, which would “start at the end of June and finish just before August,” Hirst said.
The first game in Palm Coast is scheduled for 7 p.m. on June 17, when the Big Buoys play the Gnarlies. The Indian Trails Sports Complex would host 17 other games throughout July.
“This facility would serve as a primary venue for league games, contributing to the activation of thecomplex and supporting the growth of amateur athletics within the community,” the memo said. “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 agreement would be valid for the next three years, with the possibility of extending the contract for another three years upon the league’s request.
The City Council will consider the contract again during its May 19 meeting.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Palm Coast wants tighter agreement for collegiate baseball league
Reporting by Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
