Vero Beach calls out to Frank McCourt: Clean it up

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As Gilda Radner, who as far as I know never met Frank McCourt, used to say, ‘It’s always something.’

On the field, in divorce court, in bankruptcy court, in the owner’s box -- wait, there’s nobody there -- and at the games, something always seems to go amiss for McCourt these days.

To that, add: Vero Beach, Fla.

That’s right, the world’s most unique and, I would argue, greatest spring training home that was abandoned by McCourt three years ago.

And somehow, McCourt has been dragged back to the area he will no longer allow to be called Dodgertown.

Coming soon, McCourt mired in Ebbets Field controversy!

It turns out McCourt still owns over three acres in Vero Beach, including a 57-year-old vacant house that has come into disrepair.

From the Associated Press:

‘A code enforcement officer has cited the Los Angeles Dodgers for violating property maintenance and trash violations on property where the team used to train on Florida’s Atlantic coast.

‘During a code enforcement hearing Monday, Officer Vanessa Carter Solomon outlined the violations she found during a June 29 inspection at the 3.4-acre lot in Vero Beach. The Dodgers held spring training in Vero Beach until 2008, when they moved to a new spring home in Glendale, Ariz.

‘Solomon was asked to alert Dodgers officials that the issue will be included on the board’s Aug. 19 agenda.

‘The issue arose when a neighbor asked Indian River County commissioners to do something about the 57-year-old vacant house on the property.’ Wonder if it’s haunted by the ghosts of parking lots past?

I reached out to the Dodgers for a reaction, but they declined comment. And really, after a while, what can you say?

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-- Steve Dilbeck