Parties Say Ballpark Negotiations Look Promising

Negotiations over the fate of Tyler Beck Memorial Ballpark at Tommie Barfield Elementary on Marco Island appear to be moving in a positive direction, even though the players involved have changed a bit.

At the February 19 Marco City Council meeting, City Manager Mike McNees was directed to negotiate a deal with Collier County Public Schools (CCPS) that would keep the baseball field in operation rather than have it turned into a green space by CCPS. But instead of McNees doing the negotiating, it's local restaurateur Joe Oliverio who is negotiating with CCPS on behalf of Marco Island Youth Baseball, Inc. (MIYB)

“The contract is almost complete,” CCPS superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli commented via email on May 1. Ricciardelli said she would know better later this week if the issue will make it on the CCPS board’s agenda for May or whether it will have to wait till June.  

"We finally signed the lease draft from the school board and agreed on everything,” Oliverio said. He is hopeful the school board vote will happen at the May 14 CCPS meeting. "It's pretty much a done deal,” he said.

Oliverio said fundraising for the upgrades to the field can begin in earnest once the agreement is ratified by the school board. "We agreed to everything and worked everything out,” he said, "but it still has to get ratified by the school board." 

Oliverio is also waiting for Marco Island Youth Baseball’s 501(c)(3) designation, which he expects to be approved soon.

Including $200,000 from the City of Marco, Oliverio said $560,000 has been raised to renovate the field. The Marco Island Woman’s Club has donated $5,000. Marco City Council member Rene Champagne has pledged a six-figure contribution. Oliverio has donated $50,000. He said checks are pouring in. 

"The big checks will be coming as soon as we get the school board ratification,” Oliverio said. He said he recently received a $10,000 check from a donor he didn’t even know.

Oliverio said the City of Marco Island is no longer part of the negotiations.

“This is directly from CCPS to Marco Island Youth Baseball,” Oliverio said. He said no other entities are involved. 

Oliverio also said MIYB will be responsible for everything related to the baseball field, though he will be working with a liaison from the county.

“The county is going to provide a liaison for me just for the renovation part of it,” Oliverio said. He said there will also be annual reviews and maintenance requirements. Oliverio estimates that it will take $1 million to get the field up to standard.

Oliverio said the field will be available for baseball players from five to 18 years of age, including Marco Island Academy, if they decide to field a baseball team again. MIA won two straight conference championships while using the ball field as its home field before deciding to disband their baseball program this season.

Oliverio said the field will not be for adult use, except for special events like a Wounded Warriors exhibition.

Oliverio said the soccer field at Marco Island Charter Middle School is also on his radar for improvements. But that’s in the future. Right now, the focus is on Tyler Beck Memorial Ballpark. Beck was a Marco youth who was killed while riding his bicycle on San Marco Road on January 6, 1995, just six days shy of his twelfth birthday.

Does Oliverio see this as a major victory for the kids of Marco Island?

"It'll be a victory as soon as they sign the agreement,” Oliverio said.