Minor league baseball coming to Rome?

By W. Jason Yates
Staff Writer

      The Macon Braves minor league baseball team may be moving to Rome in 2003.
      Rome hopes to score the team by passing a SPLOST, a special local option sales tax, during the Nov. 6 election, says Tom Tully, the assistant county manager. If this vote passes, then a new stadium would be constructed for the Braves in Rome.
      The Department of Justice gave Floyd County permission to place the SPLOST on the ballot for the upcoming election.
      Macon, which currently hosts the team, has reported losses over the last few years by keeping the team there. The Associated Press said that Macon has poured more than $550,000 into renovations on the Luther Williams Stadium.
      The Macon Braves do not seem to be satisfied. The Macon Telegraph said that the Macon Braves had asked for more than $1 million to continue the stadium renovation. That money would also go towards new concession stands, new dugouts and grandstand seating.
      Macon Mayor Jack Ellis told his city council members that the $1 million that the team had requested is "only a remote possibility."
      Ellis isn't really sure how much of a benefit the team is to Macon, but he did say that his city loses over $150,000 per year just on park maintenance.
      The AP has also reported that Macon City Council President Anita Ponder has also been considering a SPLOST for her city. The revenue received from that tax would go towards renovations on the team's current home.
      Ponder did say that that was just an idea, though, and didn't know if her fellow city council members would vote with her on that idea. Ponder also said that fixing the stadium is part of the city's master plan but doesn't know if the plan will keep the team in Macon.
      Ponder wants the Macon and Bibb County governments to come together and discuss ways of keeping the Braves there and the possibility of their own SPLOST. She hopes a solution will be found and ironed out quickly so the team will stay. Ponder was quoted by the AP as saying, "While Floyd County is trying to bring the Braves, or whoever, we're stepping up to the plate to keep them here."
      The opinions of college students here are scattered throughout the spectrum.
      Corey Rosenburg said, "We don't want no Braves in Rome. I don't like baseball." Norma Murphy commented, "It's unnecessary because of the money. The taxes are already high enough."
      "Yes, they should come to Rome," Graham Duke said. Samantha Pierce stated, "They should come to Rome. It will get the community involved in more things."