As we celebrate 25 seasons of the Dayton Dragons, we recognize how far our city has come. What was once a vision for renewal has become a reality, with downtown Dayton now a hub of activity, culture, and economic opportunity. The Dragons have played a central role in that transformation, proving that baseball can be more than just a game – it can be a driving force for positive change.
During my second term as Mayor, our community committed to revitalize downtown with Riverscape, the Schuster Center, the baseball stadium, and new downtown housing. What we have today is a vibrant city, and now it’s hard to imagine Dayton without the Dragons. However, there was a time when it appeared the city would never field a team.
Prior to the Dayton Dragons, there were several failed attempts to bring a baseball team to Dayton and to build a stadium. Many of these attempts came from out-of-town groups with promises of never-realized funding, unbuildable stadium designs, and management groups unable to secure Major League approvals.
Most of the proposals came with all the risk assumed by the Dayton taxpayer. Although our community believed in the promise of a new stadium and a baseball team, the public was skeptical and looking for the right partner and the right deal.
By the time Mandalay Sports Entertainment came to town, our community was organized, prepared and had a plan. As Mayor, on behalf of our community team, I proposed a unique structure for a deal. Dayton would agree to own and lease a stadium to the team, if the team built the stadium at a fixed price to the City of Dayton, assume all cost overruns, and be responsible for operational, maintenance, and capital costs – capping the risk to the Dayton taxpayers.
Mandalay agreed and delivered. The Dayton Dragons’ stadium deal ended up being the only stadium in the state that came in on-budget to the taxpayers.
For the 25 years of the Dayton Dragons’ success, there has been one leader that has delivered for our community: the President and General Manager for the team, Bob Murphy.
Murphy had the responsibility for delivering the construction of the stadium, managing the team, overseeing the stadium, and delivering entertainment every night for our community. He has become a part of our community and has stayed through three consecutive ownership groups.
On opening day 25 seasons ago, as Mayor, I stood on the ballfield with our community negotiating team of City Commissioner Bootsie Neil, City Manager Valerie Lemme, Economic Development Director Joe Tuss, Montgomery County Commissioner Vicky Pegg, Montgomery County Administrator Deb Feldman, Dayton Chamber of Commerce President Phil Parker, Fifth-Third Bank President Dan Sadlier, and Downtown Dayton Partnership President Maureen Pero, tipping our ball caps to Bob Murphy, thanking him for his accomplishment of delivering on his promise of a stadium for the Dragons in downtown Dayton.
I am proud of the role I played in bringing the Dayton Dragons to our city, but even prouder of what they have meant to our community.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, has represented Ohio’s 10th District since 2013 and served as Mayor of the City of Dayton for eight years.
Credit: Brendan O'Hara
Credit: Brendan O'Hara
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