CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Cleveland Indians aren’t going anywhere.
In fact, team officials have engaged county, city and state officials on negotiations of a long-term lease to keep the team playing baseball on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario in downtown Cleveland for years to come.
Multiple sources tell 92.3 The Fan that the club, which is amid a name change and rebrand behind the scenes, is seeking “a transformation of Progressive Field” as part of a lease extension agreement that will cost “around $200 million.”
The final price tag of the project, which would go beyond simple system maintenance and upgrades and would further modernize the ballpark, is still being assessed but that is the neighborhood of where it is likely to come in at.
“We have begun dialogue with the appropriate public officials about the Progressive Field lease, which expires in 2023,” the team said in a statement Tuesday. “The lease is a complex, multi-faceted agreement for our public/private partnership. We want those involved to have the time needed to conduct a thoughtful and thorough review with the future in mind. It’s premature to comment on any aspect beyond that at this point in time.”
The current lease is set to expire after the 2023 season.
Progressive Field opened in 1994 as Jacobs Field and kicked off a renaissance for the franchise as well as downtown Cleveland. The Indians have made 12 postseason appearances, including three trips to the World Series and hosted the 1997 and 2019 MLB All-Star Games, since the park opened.
Ohio governor Mike DeWine confirmed publicly Tuesday that he has reached out to the state speaker of the house and president of the senate to lay the groundwork for potential legislation that would be required for any state funding for the project after county and city officials recently reached out for assistance.
While terms of the lease and financing for the transformation of Progressive Field are still being negotiated, the framework of an extension is centered around 15 years with two five-year options attached to it.
Sources indicated that state officials prefer the lease extension be as long as possible to insure their investment in the proposed project. Officials at the state level also recognize that the Indians continue to have three primary minor league affiliates located in Ohio – Triple A Columbus, AA Akron and Class-A Lake County.
Multiple sources also tell 92.3 The Fan that rumors of a potential team sale and or relocation to another market – most notably Nashville, Tennessee which is hoping to recruit an MLB club – are “unequivocally false” and that the Dolan family is committed to holding a majority stake and operating the franchise for the foreseeable future.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that officials from Nashville denied having any conversations with the Indians about relocating to a future new downtown ballpark they are hoping to build.
Sources indicated to 92.3 The Fan that officials from all three levels of government received assurances from the club concerning their commitment to remain in Cleveland and they are comfortable working with the Dolan ownership group in negotiating a lease extension that extends the team’s stay and the life of Progressive Field.
