But the NPC luncheon last Wednesday was quite festive and typical of a stadium experience.

Peanuts, Cracker Jacks, hot dogs, bratwurst, waitresses in T-shirts saying “Naples Wants the Cubs", and even audience members wearing Cubs baseball caps provided a fun atmosphere.

Gary Price gave an upbeat picture of the plan to lure the Cubs to town, and expressed the idea that his group “will not quit pursuing the idea until it is over one way or the other.” He noted that there are significantly more Chicagoans here in Lee and Collier County than in any other part of Florida, while there are only a couple of thousand people with Chicago ties in Mesa, AZ.

There was a 20 percent decline in tourism in Naples during the last year, he said, and there are huge dynamic shifts happening in the County that will require an economic plan with a dynamic impact on the area. 

Dave Moulton pointed out that many in Naples were operating under the misconception that taxpayers would be carrying the burden for Cubs spring training here.

”It won’t cost a Naples taxpayer one penny to bring this team here,” he explained, ”and anyone who said it would is either lying or ignorant. I guess reading is optional when it comes to an emotional issue that may seem to disrupt the legacy that many consider is essential here.”

Although the afternoon was very upbeat, a decision the following day announced that the Cubs would stay in Mesa.

Maybe the recently created Mesa song urging the Cubs to stay: - “Mesa has no baseball rain; Naples is one big hurricane“ - convinced the Cubs management to remain in the desert at a new “Wrigleyville West.”