3 expectations for new Cleveland Guardians minority owner David Blitzer

2. Cleveland Guardians long-term play

In the summer of 2021, the Dolans and the city agreed to a lease extension that will keep MLB baseball at Progressive Field until at least 2036. The deal could potentially be extended to 2046.

Getting this deal done was big for the stability of the franchise, especially when looking for someone to cough up cash to be a minority owner, according to The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd, who appeared on The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show. 

He also noted how locking up the lease was important in terms of developing land around the stadium. Guess what area of business happens to be David Blitzer’s forte? Real estate development.

There’s money to be made in the land surrounding Progressive Field, but the Dolan Family doesn’t own any of it. Enter Blitzer. Lloyd mentioned the Gateway parking garage as an opportunity that’s available to develop. Having a place to park right next door made a ton of sense back in 1994, but with tons of parking available, Uber, and people getting downtown early to go out before a game, the need for the garage has lessened.