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Monroe County, Morelle disagree over state grant for Frontier Field

frontierfield.org

Monroe County and a state lawmaker are at odds over past funding granted for improvements at Frontier Field.

Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle recently expressed concerns that Monroe County and the Rochester Red Wings have not yet reached a lease agreement for Frontier Field with the Wings' home opener now two months away.

The Democrat said a failure to secure a long term lease would put millions of dollars in state money for upgrades to Frontier Field at risk.

Now, in a new letter to the county and the Red Wings, Morelle said the county has yet to claim and use a $1.5 million capital grant awarded by the state in 2014 for renovations and improvements to the baseball stadium.

But a spokesman for Monroe County said Morelle is wrong about the funding.

Jesse Sleezer said the county has already spent $1.3 million on upgrades to Frontier Field under the state grant, including a new pedestrian bridge, enhanced lighting, steel restoration, and safety netting.

Sleezer said the county has until April 2021 to seek reimbursement in full for the grant through Empire State Development.

Beth Adams joined WXXI as host of Morning Edition in 2012 after a more than two-decade radio career. She was the longtime host of the WHAM Morning News in Rochester. Her career also took her from radio stations in Elmira, New York, to Miami, Florida.