FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Jeff Mielke, Lee County Sports Authority
               (239) 344-5201

TWINS/RED SOX SPRING TRAINING ATTENDANCE CONTINUES RECORD PACE

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 2, 2004) - The Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox spring training in Lee County concludes another successful year today with attendance breaking 100,000 at the two parks.

Minnesota Twins

At the completion of today's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Hammond Stadium, the Twins are projecting more than 110,000 total paid attendance during their 15 home games. That's up from 106,000 last year. The Twins averaged 7,350 per game paid attendance - a new record for per game paid attendance.

The record of 123,753 fans was set in 1991, the first year the organization held its Spring Training at the Lee County Sports Complex, with 119,920 in 1992 (see the attendance history below). Attendance dropped to 69,245 in 1995 after the baseball strike. Spring training this year ran from March 4 to April 2 and included 15 Twins home games and 16 Red Sox home games.

Spring training at Hammond Stadium at the Lee County Sports Complex recorded its millionth fan in 2001.

Twins attendance by year: (1991) 123,753, (1992) 119,920, (1993) 90,503, (1994) 100,930, (1995) 69,245, (1996) 80,027, (1997) 89,743, (1998) 90,523, (1999) 85,527, (2000) 99,432, (2001) 90,255, (2002) 102,238, (2003) 106,209.

Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox held a total of 16 games this year - two against universities and 14 against Major League teams. Total paid attendance was 116,000 (7,240 paid attendance per game). Just comparing attendance for the 14 Major League games, the average paid attendance was 7,465.

Capacity seating at City of Palms Park is 7,142

According to Todd Stephenson, Coordinator of Florida Operations, this was by far the best year for the Red Sox in Fort Myers. They broke concession revenue records several times throughout the month.

It is estimated that Red Sox and Twins spring training in Lee County pumps more than $24 million dollars into the local economy. Lee County Government wishes to extend its appreciation to the Twins Organization for its continuing partnership and another successful Spring Training, and completion of its 144h year at the Lee County Sports Complex; and also to the Red Sox Organization, which celebrates its 12th spring training season at City of Palms Park.

Lee County officially became a partner with the Boston Red Sox this past December when the City of Fort Myers transferred operation of the stadium to the county and the Boston Red Sox Organization signed a 15-year lease renewal. In the off-season, the county made $1.5 million of maintenance and improvements to City of Palms Park.