Collier out of race for Cubs

Naples officials hoping to bring the Chicago Cubs to Collier County for spring training said they withdrew their spring training proposal, according to a news report. The decision comes after the group — dubbed Project Homerun — was unable to get the assurances it needed from team president Crane Kenney to continue with their work. Those assurances, said Gary Price, a partner in Fifth Avenue Advisors, one of the two private companies trying to lure the Cubs from Mesa, Ariz., included an exclusive negotiation period similar to what was afforded to Mesa.