Nationals, Astros strike out in Palm Beach County

A rendering of a 6,500-seat spring training stadium for the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros
A rendering of a 6,500-seat spring training stadium for the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros

The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros won’t be seeing some $140.1 million for a spring training stadium after Palm Beach County commissioners voted against the funding.

However, the teams plan to return before the commission for another try in October, according to the South Florida Business Journal. They insist they need an annual escalator for the payments, which would significantly increase their construction funding.

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“We very much need an escalator,” Nationals General Partner Arthur Fuccillo told commissioners. “We don’t mind talking with county staff for another 30 days.”

And two commissioners who voted against the measure, Steven Abrams and Mary Lou Berger, said they would likely support awarding hotel bed taxes to the stadium project as long as that payment remained constant. [South Florida Business Journal]Christopher Cameron