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State grant will strengthen partnership with Twins and Lee County

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Lee County recently submitted an application for state funding that would help to renovate and refurbish the 22-year-old Hammond Stadium and Lee County Sports Complex.

The Florida Sports Foundation (a division of Enterprise Florida) invited communities trying to retain their spring training teams to apply for up to $15 million in state funds.

Lee County and the Twins recently signed a 30-year conditional lease agreement as part of the grant application, thereby guaranteeing the Twins will call Lee County its spring training home through at least 2044. The funds would be in the form of a matching grant, thereby ensuring that the Twins refurbishment project will be at least $30 million. Collectively, spring training contributes upwards of $47 million in direct visitor expenditures to Lee County annually. Lee County was the lone submission for the state grant, and county staffers expect a reply from the Florida Sports Foundation by month’s end.