FLORENCE — A two-year effort to bring a minor league baseball team to Florence seems likely to put 4,000 fans in the seats and Chris Sabo on the field by May.

        From a picnic area and a children's playground to a hot tub for fans, there'll be something for everyone at the new Frontier League baseball stadium, according to developers, who Tuesday presented plans for the the proposed $4 million, 4,000-seat facility to City Council.

        “It's like Christmas coming to Florence,” said Vince DeVita, head baseball coach at Gray Middle School in Union, Ky., and a major-league baseball scout. “There are a lot of winners involved here.”

        Council members at Tuesday's meeting said they were open to the proposal to build the new facility at the corner of Interstate 75 and U.S. 42, the site of the former Frontier Fantasy park.

        Council is still negotiating the final details of a lease agreement with the developers — led by Gary Enzweiler, a Northern Kentucky native who owns rights to start a Frontier League team in Florence.

        But the outlook for a still-to-be named Independent Professional Baseball franchise in Florence seems bright.

        “We feel very positive that we can come together,” Council member David Osborne told Mr. Enzweiler and his management team, which includes former Reds star third-baseman, Chris Sabo.

        Mr. Sabo, who lives in the Kenwood area with his wife, Susan, and their three young daughters, Annie, Brooke and Olivia, will assume the responsibilities of team manager, coach and director of baseball operations.

        “I'm strictly going to be the on-field guy,” Mr. Sabo told council members. “I can't promise you a championship, but I can promise you a good effort. We want you to be proud of this team.”

        As further evidence of the league's confidence the deal will be approved, Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee announced the official launch of a contest to name the team.

        Mr. Enzweiler said the naming rights to the stadium had already been sold, but declined to reveal the buyer.

        Entry forms to suggest a team name can be picked up at the Florence Post Office or city administration building.

        “Everyone in the league is ecstatic about coming here,” Mr. Lee told the council. “We will have a wonderful, wonderful longstanding relationship with you folks.”

        If approved, the Florence franchise would become the 13th team in a league that recently passed the 750,000 in attendance in the current season, which continues. The addition of the Florence team is expected to push that number over 1 million by the 2003 season.

        The league, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, caters to local residents who may be put off by the high cost of attending major league games, with an average price tag of $146 for a family of four, according to an annual survey by the Wall Street Journal.

        Mr. Enzweiler said the cost of attending a Frontier League game in Florence — including tickets, concessions and souvenirs — should fall in the $40 to $50 range for the same family.

        The City of Florence promises to be the big winner based on a feasibility study conducted in May by a Minneapolis consulting firm.

        The study found that more than 100,000 fans could be expected to attend the 42 home games the Florence team would play, injecting an estimated $1.9 million into the local economy.

        And while baseball will be the main attraction, the stadium will host a variety of events and activities throughout the year that would provide an economic boost.

        “Baseball is the priority ... but this business isn't really about baseball,” Mr. Enzweiler said. “But we're talking about capturing some of the entertainment dollars here in Northern Kentucky ... we are extremely motivated to have as many activities as we can within the facility.”

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