FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  John Yarbrough, Lee County Parks & Recreation
               (239) 461-7410

BASEBALL FIELDS READY FOR OPENING DAY

        
Click on images to enlarge

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 4, 2004) - The 13-member grounds crew from Lee County's Parks & Recreation Department has the stadium fields at the Lee County Sports Complex and City of Palms Park in tip-top shape for Spring Training opening day today.

In addition, Lee County's Facilities Management and Construction & Design divisions have completed $1.5 million of renovations to City of Palms Park, primarily painting, water proofing, repairing leaks, electrical and adding bleachers (see attached photos of City of Palms Park).

Properly maintaining a "Major League" caliber baseball stadium is a 365-day-a-year job, including daily maintenance of both the stadium and fields, mowing, fertilizing, sod replacement, landscaping, preparation of pitching facilities and upkeep of hitting cages. The grounds crew also maintains 10 other adjacent fields at the Sports Complex and will provide upkeep of the Red Sox's minor league complex.

The 80-acre Lee County Sports Complex was completed in 1991. Its main stadium - the 7,500-seat William H. Hammond Stadium - has been the spring training home of the Minnesota Twins since March 1991 and home of the Fort Myers Miracle since 1992. City of Palms Park was built in 1992 and has been spring training home to the Boston Red Sox since 1993.

Keith Blasingim, who heads the county's grounds crew, was recognized as Florida State League Sports Turf Manager of the Year in 2002 and 2003. In addition, the county's grounds crew won the 2003 "Best Overall" Award for best ball field maintained in Florida and "Best Municipality" ball field in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2000.