Pirates spring training to remain in Bradenton for a ‘long, long time’

Frank Coonelly, president of the Pittsburgh Pirates, praised the nearly 50-year history of the club’s spring training in Bradenton as a partnership that works between the franchise, the city and Manatee County.

Coonelly introduced a commemorative logo celebrating the 50 years of Pirates baseball in Bradenton, which features the distinctive roof line of LECOM Park, and promised that the partnership should continue for a “long, long time.”

Coonelly’s made his remarks as keynote speaker for the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation’s 2017 update.

Even though LECOM Park is the third-oldest stadium used by a Major League Baseball team, behind Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago, it has continually been updated to include the amenities that fans want, while preserving the park’s history and ambiance, Coonelly said.

The evolution of the park is a tribute to the club’s partnership with the Bradenton community, he said.

The update, held at Manatee Technical College, focused in general on the importance of the sports performance portion of the economy.

Coonelly held out hope that more economic development would come to the area around LECOM Park, but it takes time, just as it did around PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

The baseball executive also focused on other contributions offered by the Pirates organization.

“It brings joy to so many people in the community,” Coonelly said, quoting Pirates Hall of Famer Willie Stargell: “When they start the game, they don’t yell, ‘Work ball.’ They say, ‘Play ball.’ ”

Coonelly also touched on the tradition of community service in the Pirates organization, and how Pirates players initiated a drive – in the spirit of Roberto Clemente – to send 455,000 pounds of hurricane relief supplies to Puerto Rico.

Clemente is a Hall of Famer and Puerto Rico native who died in 1972 in a plane crash while delivering aid packages to Managua, Nicaragua, which had been devastated by an earthquake.

Approximately 50 sports-performance related businesses identified in Manatee County are predicted to have 14 percent job growth through 2022, said Sharon Hillstrom, president and CEO of the EDC.

“We witnessed our robust sports performance sector in action,” Hillstrom said of the recent World Rowing Championships at Benderson Park.

Also at Friday’s update, Kevin DiLallo, CEO of Manatee Healthcare System, received the Rick Fawley Economic Development Award of Distinction.

Outgoing EDC chair Carol Probstfeld spoke of the importance of providing high-quality health care to the area, and Manatee Memorial’s strong support of the nursing program at State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota. Among the contributions attributed to DiLallo are $23 million of capital purchases for medical equipment and creation of the physicians residency program. An estimated $55 million is being invested to improve facilities at Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

On Friday, Probstfeld turned over her gavel as chair to Kirk G. Boylston, president of Lakewood Ranch Commercial. Boyston praised Probstfeld for her work at the EDC and as president of State College of Florida.

“The things that you do for the EDC and SCF are above and beyond,” Boylston said.

Boylston also took note of the work that the EDC does over the long haul.

“The EDC gets things done. There is a lot of work that is not fruitful. There is a lot of work that gets done that is fruitful. They pursue it all with passion,” Boylston said.

Later in the meeting, Hillstrom took note of all the legwork involved in economic development, and said that the job is not for anyone looking for “instant gratification.”

This story was originally published November 3, 2017 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Pirates spring training to remain in Bradenton for a ‘long, long time’."