BY MARK SCHUMANN

Since former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley stepped up to the plate a little more than a year ago and offered to help revitalize the Vero Beach Sports Village, the county-owned sports complex has been giving the local tourist industry a much-needed boost.

O’Malley, leading a group of investors, which includes his sister Terry O’Malley Seidler, former Dodger pitchers Hideo Nomo and Chan Ho Park, and Minor League Baseball, has made important strides in bringing back to life the county’s sports and conference center, formerly the historic spring training home of the Dodgers.

With the help of Vero Beach Sports Village Vice President Craig Callan, Verotown LLC has drawn literally hundreds of baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer and swimming teams from around the country to train and compete in tournaments at the Sports Village.  The center is also hosting corporate meetings, couples and church retreats.

According to estimates by the Treasure Coast Sports Commission, Vero Beach Sports Village has contributed more than $20 million in direct economic impact to the local economy since May 2009, benefiting hotels, restaurants, retailers and other businesses.

Unfortunately, because the County seems more inclined to shoot itself in the foot than to make a forward-thinking business deal, all the progress and promise for the Vero Beach Sports Village may grind to a halt.

If O’Malley’s investor group, Verotown LLC, and the County are not able to work through the current impasse in their negotiations to extend the current lease beyond May 1, 2014, County maintenance crews may find themselves back on the property as soon as next month.

Just as the County lost jobs to St. Lucie County and Brevard County when it chased off Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company and Knight’s Armaments, it appears ready to derail the progress O’Malley and Callan are making in turning the Vero Beach Sports Village into one of the premier sports training centers in the country.

At issue are two key provisions in the lease agreement, one having to do with the terms under which it can be terminated and a second involving the question of who will be responsible for capital improvements.

Rather than being obligated to pay $300,000 in liquidated damages if it should terminate the lease early, Verotown LLC has offered to commit to give the County a minimum of four months notice.  Because the county would otherwise have to assume maintenance expenses, which are now $150,000 a month, Callan said the investor group thinks giving four months notice is more than an even trade.

Negotiators for the County also want Verotown LLC to contribute to capital improvements costs.  Because the investor group is leasing the property and has no ownership interest in it, Callan said it doesn’t make sense for Verotown LLC to pay for capital improvements.  As an alternative, O’Malley has offered to reinvest any profits the group earns back into Vero Beach Sports Village.

According to Callan, since May 2009, operating losses were $1 million the first year, $500,000 the second, and $250,000 last year.  Though he has managed to cut the red ink by 50 percent each year, clearly no one is getting rich at the County’s expense. The local economy, though, is benefiting greatly.

Some of O’Malley’s plans have been stalled over the past six months, as negotiations with the County drag on.  The former Dodger owner had been negotiating with Major League Baseball to license the name “Historic Dodgertown.”  Those discussions are now on hold, as are plans to bring in a national marketer.

County attorney Alan Polackwich is planning to put the issue before the County Commission as early as next Tuesday.  Hopefully the Commission will pinch hit for its staff bureaucrats and bring some common sense to the County’s side of the negotiation table.  The last thing the local economy needs now is another self-inflicted wound.