Orioles' renovated Sarasota spring training home starting to take shape

$31.2 million overhaul of Ed Smith Stadium and Twin Lakes Park set to be mostly complete by mid-February

Smith expects that will all be complete when the Orioles start trickling into the complex in early to mid-February. That was in doubt earlier this year after two local citizens groups filed a lawsuit against the city and county, alleging that Sarasota officials violated Florida's "Sunshine Laws" in negotiations with the Orioles. The lawsuit prevented the county from issuing construction bonds for the project.

In early July, a circuit judge refused to overturn the deal between Sarasota and the Orioles and authorized the county to issue the bonds for the renovation of the facility. That ruling has since been appealed, so the legal issues aren't completely "a thing of the past," according to Smith, though they have become much less of a factor.

However, the legal delays in the project will likely result in the renovation of the main clubhouse building, which includes a major and minor league locker room, a weight room, team offices and the player's dining room, being held up until after spring training 2011 ends.

That has done little to dim the Orioles' enthusiasm.

"We're just thrilled from a baseball perspective," Smith said. "We're looking at this with the same focus that we looked at Camden Yards. … Kudos to the county for getting all this together at a fast pace and making sure we did all those things that were iffy six months ago. It's like the clouds have parted and we're on our way."

[e-mail]

Text BASEBALL to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun Orioles text alerts