O'Malley Returns to Dodgertown

From a press release:

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Minor League Baseball™ announced today the formation of a new entity to operate Vero Beach Sports Village (VBSV), formerly known as Dodgertown. In addition to MiLB, the participants include former Dodger President Peter O'Malley, his sister, Terry Seidler, and former Dodger star pitchers Chan Ho Park and Hideo Nomo.

MiLB will submit the proposed transfer of its VBSV lease to officials of Indian River County, which owns the facility, for approval.

Each of the five participants would have an equal ownership share in the new entity. O'Malley would be the Chairman and CEO, MiLB President Pat O'Conner President and COO and Craig Callan will continue in his current role in the operation of VBSV. Callan has worked for 33 years at the historic facility.

The VBSV grounds are where the Dodgers held their spring training camp dating back to 1948, before relocating to Arizona in 2009. [...]

"I embrace this wonderful opportunity to use this iconic facility that my family has cherished for decades to promote baseball," said O'Malley. "Vero Beach Sports Village should always be an asset and a jewel to the citizens of Vero Beach and Indian River Countyand I look forward to adding further luster to its rich history.

"We know the Dodgers have a long-term spring training commitment with the community of Glendale, Arizona, and our endeavor in Vero Beach in no way impacts that relationship.

"I am very happy longtime friends Chan Ho Park and Hideo Nomo have joined me in this opportunity – it's exciting. Dodgertown will always be a treasure for the good people in Vero Beach and throughout baseball and anything I can do to help Dodgertown flourish is high on my list of things to do." [...]

Minor League Baseball began operating VBSV in 2009. Since then, the 67-acre sports complex and conference center facility has hosted several international teams, including the Chinese National and Italian National Baseball teams on two occasions. The Chinese National Boxing Team has also trained at VBSV.

The SK Wyverns, a South Korean Professional Baseball Team, are the latest international team to train at VBSV. They arrived on November 1 and will hold their winter camp at the facility through the end of the month. [...]

Over the last two years, VBSV has also hosted events such as the Minor League Baseball Youth Leadership Academy, a six-day event that combines the history, principles and structure of the game of baseball to provide an opportunity for at-risk youth to develop and master leadership and life skills; spring training for high school and college baseball teams; the University of South Florida’s football training camp; the Washington Freedom professional women’s soccer team’s training camp; and various other baseball, football, soccer and lacrosse camps.

Beginning in January 2012, VBSV will also be home to The Umpire School, a 28-day state of Florida accredited school operated by Minor League Baseball that trains umpires in the latest techniques, theories and interpretations.

If O'Malley doesn't end up taking over the Dodgers, at least he'll still be busy with Dodger-related activities. But it does beg the question: what happens to Camelback Ranch after the Dodgers are sold?