Locals Wary of Tax to Help Keep Sox in Ft. Myers

The Fort Myers News-Press ran a short editorial from Community Conversations Editor Mark Stephens who takes issue with using the "tourist tax" on hotels to help keep the Sox in Ft. Myers.

He says, "...well aware that using tax dollars to make a billionaire owner and his multimillionaire players happy would cause a revolution, the powers that be are talking about using the tourist tax on motels, hotels and other short-term rentals. Maybe, but we must be sure we don’t short-change the other purposes that money is used for, including beach improvements, that may draw more tourists than the Red Sox."

UPDATE - Sarasota Keeps Moving Ahead in Effort to Land Sox Spring Training

The Fort Myers News Press reported today that, "Sarasota’s pursuit of the Boston Red Sox moved forward a bit more this afternoon when the city commission voted unanimously to accept a study that pegged the team’s potential annual spring training economic impact at $46.5 million. The city commissioners also directed the city manager to look at “multiple sites” to locate a new spring-training facility."