According to the Fort Myers News-Press, city and Lee County officials have begun negotiations with the Washington Nationals that could result in the club setting up its spring training base at City of Palms Park.
"There's honest negotiations going on at this time and I high have hopes that we might be able to pull something off," [Lee County Commissioner Frank] Mann said.
Since moving to Washington in 2005, the Nationals have played their home spring training games at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. However, the club has been looking to move to a different site, largely due to Viera's lack of proximity to other clubs.
If a deal is done, the Nationals could move to Fort Myers as early as 2014. The Boston Red Sox had used City of Palms Park through 2011. They moved into Jet Blue Park for the 2012 spring training schedule.
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