Sarasota to vote Wednesday

It appears a resolution to the Red Sox' spring training saga is imminent.

The city of Sarasota, Fla., will vote Wednesday on whether to increase its tourist tax from half a penny to a penny.

Approval would boost any funding needed for a new stadium for the Sox, in addition to the work needed on the refurbishment of what would be the team's minor league complex, the former spring home of the Reds.

Although negotiators hired by Sarasota County are dealing directly with the Red Sox in an attempt to lure them from their current spring home in Fort Myers, county commissioner Joe Barbetta expects a response in the next couple of days from the club. The increase in taxes would bring in more than $2 million per year in order to issue bonds between $60 million and $65 million to finance the stadium.

Lee County, which encompasses Fort Myers, seemingly remains a player in the process, having announced it was looking for proposals from the private sector for a new facility for the Sox on at least 80 acres of land, according to the (Fort Myers) News-Press.

"We talked to both Lee County and to Sarasota, and we expect to bring this process to closure sometime early next week," said Red Sox chief operating officer Mike Dee.

AMALIE BENJAMIN