By: J. Daniel Pearson
Is Major League Baseball in Central Florida just a dream? At the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce’s quarterly luncheon Thursday, Orlando Dreamers COO Jim Schanorf said it’s not only possible—it’s going to happen.
“Pat took us from the goal line to the opponent’s 15-yard line and now we just need to take it in for a touchdown,” Schanorf told the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce at their quarterly luncheon at the Civic Center on Thursday afternoon.
Schanorf was the featured guest speaker at the sports-themed luncheon and he presented a positive update on his organization’s efforts – which started more than two years ago by an announcement by former Orlando Magic founder Pat Williams and has continued to move forward after Williams’ passing in July of last year.
In his appearance in St. Cloud, Schanorf pointed out that either through relocation or expansion, Orlando was well poised to host a major league franchise.
“Major League Baseball said there would be no talks of expansion until the stadium situations of two cities – Oakland and Tampa Bay were addressed,” he said. “Oakland appears headed for Las Vegas, but Tampa Bay is certainly up in the air.”
The Rays were forced out of their home in Tropicana Field when last year’s Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off the facility. The team ended up playing its home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa this year at the New York Yankees spring training facility. In addition, the Rays lease with Tampa is set to expire in 2028.
Tampa as the Rays home beyond that is certainly in limbo for several reasons. Current owner Stuart Sternberg is apparently close to selling the team, an earlier deal brokered to build a new stadium on the Tampa side of the bay has fallen apart and repairs on Tropicana are not expected to be completed in time for the start of the 2026 season.
Schanorf pitched the idea that an ideal site for a new stadium exists on a 35-acre track in south Orange County next the Aquatica Water Park. He suggested that since the property was owned by Orange County, the acquisition for a new ballpark could be a seamless transition.
In addition – and more importantly – he pointed out the Dreamer organization confirmed last April that qualified investors have provided preliminary letters of intent and verbal commitments approaching $1.5 billion in equity investments to purchase a franchise; and an additional $1 billion in private equity had been pledged to build a new stadium. With the death of Williams, former major league all-star Barry Larkin has become the point person in pushing the Orlando effort.
If the Rays ultimately decide not to relocate, Schanorf said it would not end his organization’s efforts to secure Major League baseball, as other teams in the league are facing stadium issues and baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has already floated the idea of expansion by at least two teams once the A’s and Rays stadium issues are addressed.
“Several other teams, including the White Sox, Royals and others are nearing the end of their lease and are having stadium issues,” he said. “On top of that you have a lot of cities wanting an expansion team, but Orlando should be on the top of the list.”
Schanorf pointed to an independent study commissioned by his organization to rank potential expansion candidates on 11 specific criteria including ownership, stadium financing, and other issues that baseball considers as vital for expansion. “We ranked number first in nine of the 11 categories. We were by far the most qualified and ready organization and no other city was even close.”
He went on to explain how Major League Baseball coming to Orlando would be an economic boom to the area, including Osceola County. “A franchise, particularly if it is built on our preferred site result would result in a huge lift to Osceola County’s economy,” Schanorf said. “From construction to vendors to job opportunities, Osceola would benefit tremendously from the start.”
Still a ton of questions exist.
In reality, many of the experts would probably question whether the Dreamers are anywhere close “knocking on the goal line.”
Would baseball even consider a third franchise for Florida, where the two existing franchises are among the worst in attendance? The Dreamers emphasize how tourists would be a major supporter of the franchise, but that presents another set of questions. How comfortable would the area’s major theme parks be with baseball siphoning of dollars they are competing for? And finally, how secure is this “committed” financing the organization claims?
Orlando’s best chance to get a baseball team most likely rests on their ability to lure the Rays from Tampa with a new stadium. What isn’t known is how the proposed sale of the Rays to Jacksonville billionaire home builder Patrick Zalupski fits into the equation. The relationship between Rays (with Steinberg in charge) and St. Pete/Tampa officials had become toxic and if the sale to Zalupski happens — how much would that relationship change and what are his intentions for the franchise?
Still Schanorf and the Dreamers remain upbeat.
