County opens baseball academy

FORT MYERS — Lee County opened a professional player-development facility for the Minnesota Twins baseball team at Hammond Stadium that is nearly the size of a football field.

The 57,000-square-foot facility is part of the $48.5 million upgrades to the stadium, most of it funded by Lee County. “The Twins new player-development academy is truly state-of-the-art and will help us create a strong competitive advantage in developing players throughout our minor and major league system,” says Bill Smith, Twins general manager, in a statement.

The three-story academy features a first-floor common space, full-service dining, a hall that can seat 220 people, classrooms and a game room for players. The facility also includes two floors of residential space with 58 rooms for players and staff who will visit to train year-round. It is the third of its kind in major league baseball.