Indians extend lease, ending relocation speculation – KIRO 7 News Seattle

CLEVELAND – (AP) – The Indians will soon be known as guards and will not be leaving their homes anytime soon.

To end rampant speculation that they would be moving, the Indians on Thursday agreed to a 15-year lease extension at Progressive Field to keep them in their downtown ballpark until 2036 and possibly longer.

The deal, which has yet to be approved by lawmakers, includes two additional five-year options that could make it a 25-year deal by 2046.

The Indians are also working with the city, Cuyahoga County, and state to spend $ 435 million to renovate the ballpark, which opened as Jacobs Field in 1994 but is now one of the oldest major league baseball facilities.

The deal was unveiled during a virtual press conference at the ballpark with owner Paul Dolan, Governor Mike DeWine and local leaders. The plan does not include any new taxes or increases and would be funded from current sources of income.

The club has negotiated with the city and the district, which owns the 35,000-seat stadium, to extend the lease by several months. The current lease is expected to expire after the 2023 season.

DeWine recently got involved in the negotiations to make sure the Indians were going nowhere. After the NFL Browns moved to Baltimore in the 1990s and the Major League Soccer Columbus crew were legally prevented from moving, DeWine felt the urgency to get involved.

DeWine said Dolan never talked about moving, but it’s possible that things would have changed without the new lease.

“We know the reality of business and the reality is that Cleveland is a small market,” DeWine said during the press conference. “Our goal is to make sure that a world-class city like Cleveland continues to have professional sports, professional baseball. It’s very, very important.

“So I had the feeling that, to be honest, the longer the lease, the better it would be for the fans.”

Under the agreement, the franchise pays $ 10.2 million for the duration of the lease for stadium repairs and upgrades. The city and county will raise $ 8 million annually, and the state will provide $ 2 million in aid annually.

Dolan said $ 200 million will be used to upgrade the ballpark, which includes repurposing the Terrace Club restaurant and “redesigning” the upper hall of the stadium.

Dolan said the improvements could come “if not sooner” over the next five years.

“Our organization is proud to continue our long-term commitment to Cleveland by making sure our ballpark remains competitive,” said Dolan. “We want to offer our fans, our community and our players the best possible baseball game experience.”

The expansion follows the Indians changing their name to Guardians at the end of this season.

Dolan had previously announced his commitment to Cleveland. However, the potential of the end of the lease, along with a shrunken team payroll, suggested that the club might be relocating.

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