Mayor is the father-figure of sports facility at Lauderhill

Richard Kaplan

MUMBAI: Richard Kaplan, the Mayor of City of Lauderhill, under Boward County in Florida, is likely to witness one or both the Day T-20 matches hastily organised by the India and West Indies cricket boards. Apparently, he was involved in the initial negotiations while the matches were being planned.

“He is a very humble long term Mayor and father figure of this sports facility. The facility was developed primarily for cricket in mind, entirely under the leadership of Mayor Kaplan”, an India-born P. K. Guha, who migrated to the U.S. in 1974, and actively involved in the development of the sport in the USA, speaking exclusively said.

“Kaplan is the first Caucasian American that I know of in my 45 years of USA cricket, who is so keen to see cricket develop in the USA. He is my Man for Cricket in the country”, Guha, who along with former West Indies cricket team’s star wicket-keeper Jeffrey Dujon and all-rounder John Shepherd, were this year’s class of inductees into the USA Cricket Hall of Fame recently, added.

India and West Indies are to play on two consecutive days (Saturday and Sunday).

“My role is limited, and it is being worked on with the Stadium personnel, BCCI, WICB, ICC and some staff members of the city. I leave it to their good judgment, and if I am needed, I will do what I can”, the Mayor said.

“The facility is in the City of Lauderhill but is owned and operated by Broward County. The facility was designed between a partnership between Lauderhill and Broward County. Lauderhill may provide some services that are needed, requested and paid for”.

“It (the ground) has 5000 permanent seats, lights, and a club house. Additional tents (party and VIP) can be installed, and the normal configuration can get it up to 15000. If temporary seating and skyboxes are installed, capacity can be increased to 25000”, the Mayor further added.

The large contingent of BCCI officials are reaching the USA for the two matches. Nishant Arora and Gaurav Saxena, the media officials, along with Rajeev Shukla, the IPL chairman have already reached there.

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