Lee County is still trying to lure the Nats to Fort Myers ... somehow

The latest story is out in Lee County, Florida’s efforts to lure the Nationals to City of Palms Park, the former spring training home of the Red Sox. Except ... they can’t quite figure out how to do it because the tax they’d normally use to do the renovations required for the park has been tapped out on other projects. Specifically, upgrades to the Twins’ complex and the construction of the Red Sox’ new JetBlue Park.

This passage from the article grinds my gears:

Other options for the ballpark include converting it into a swimming or soccer facility. The ideal scenario would be keeping it a baseball facility and convincing the Nationals, one of four teams still training on Florida’s east coast, to move there, officials said.

No one ever explains why that’s an ideal scenario. I’m not sure how public money to lure the Nationals is a better use than public money for public recreation facilities. No one ever really tries to explain that kind of thing in these situations.

(thanks to Justin E. for the heads up)