Dodgers’ old Vero Beach home finds a tenant

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Dodgertown sat empty this spring. Frank McCourt, the Dodgers’ owner, took spring training to Arizona and took the Dodgertown name to Los Angeles, as a marketing slogan.

But the Dodgers’ old Vero Beach facility will spring to life again soon, under the auspices of Minor League Baseball.

No team is expected to be based there, in either spring training or during the minor league season, but the governing body for the minor leagues agreed today to a five-year contract to operate the property with such uses as tournaments for youth, high school and college teams; and camps for players, umpires and groundskeepers.

Conferences and fantasy camps also will be held at the complex, where the Dodgers held spring training from 1948 to 2008.

The complex will be run by Craig Callan, the Vero Beach resident who oversaw the property for the Dodgers from 1988 to 2008. And the Dodgertown name will stay, according to the news release announcing the agreement.

‘The city of Vero Beach anticipates a strong, mutually beneficial partnership with Minor League Baseball,’ Vero Beach City Manager James Gabbard said in a statement. ‘We have been very impressed with this organization and its leadership. We expect a long relationship that will create opportunities for fans to see high caliber baseball in the historic Dodgertown venue.’

-- Bill Shaikin