Englebert Complex
 | |
| Location | 1700 Solon Avenue, Dunedin, FL 34698 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 28°1′55.3″N 82°45′21.7″W / 28.032028°N 82.756028°W |
| Owner | City of Dunedin Parks & Recreation Department |
| Operator | City of Dunedin Parks & Recreation Department |
| Surface | grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1977 |
| Opened | 1978 |
| Tenants | |
| Toronto Blue Jays (training) (1977–present) Gulf Coast League Blue Jays (1981–present) | |
The Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex, is a sports facility owned by the City of Dunedin, Florida. It is used primarily by the Toronto Blue Jays as a practice facility, and is home to their Rookie league affiliate, the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays.
The facility opened in 1978 and named after City Commissioner and one time mayor Cecil P. Englebert, who lured the Toronto Blue Jays to the area.[1][2]
The facility was renovated in 2002 for $14 million, expanding it from 17 to 23 acres.[3] The Blue Jays renamed the training facility the Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex in 2003 after Bobby Mattick, who managed the Blue Jays from 1980 to 1981, and was employed by the team from 1976 until his death in 2004. The City of Dunedin objected to the new name, arguing that Mattick had no ties to the City.[4]
The site features:
- training facilities
- team offices
- hitting cages
- five full fields
- one small field
Three other baseball diamonds on the north side belong to Louis A. Vanech Recreation Complex, another city owned facility at 3051 Garrison Road, provides public parking and access to the Englebert Complex.[5]
As of 2016, the Jays are negotiating a $81 million renovation to the Florida Auto Exchange Stadium and Englebert Complex, which they would contribute $15.7 million to with the rest coming from from the state, county and city governments.[6]
References
- ^ De La Torre, Vanessa (August 13, 2006). "Dunedin will be his final resting place". sptimes.com. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ^ Garry, Stephanie (July 5, 2008). "Mr. Baseball set aside Pinellas places for fun". tampabay.com. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ^ Tucker, Leon M. (November 18, 2002). "Renovations mean a new ball game". sptimes.com. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ^ "Jays, city get into a fresh rhubarb". Tampa Bay Times. 2003-03-06. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
- ^ Knight, Graham. "Spring Training Practice Viewing and Autograph Getting Guide". springtrainingconnection.com. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ^ Davidi, Shi (2016-09-27). "Blue Jays unveil plans for $81M upgrade in Dunedin". Sportsnet. Retrieved 2016-09-27.