Armando Gutierrez Jr. is aggressively pursuing the relocation of the New York Yankees' minor-league team from Tampa to Orlando, just seven months after he withdrew his name as a candidate for the U.S. Congress in Florida's 8th district in February.

As if attempting to bring a baseball team to Orlando isn't challenging enough, Gutierrez is proposing the construction of a privately financed multimillion-dollar stadium and baseball-themed museum.

The vision is grand, and even grander when you consider the efforts are being led by a 28-year-old.

So who exactly is Armando Gutierrez Jr.?

"He's just a bigger thinker than most people," said Adam McKinnon, a close friend of Gutierrez. "When I see a beautiful hotel, I say, 'Man, that's awesome. Harris Rosen is a lucky guy.' And Armando says, 'Man, that's awesome. I cannot wait to build that myself.' "

Dreaming big isn't a new concept for Gutierrez. Both sets of grandparents fled Cuba, leaving behind family and friends to escape the regime of Fidel Castro and create a better life for their families in America.

Though he grew up poor and could not afford to complete college, Armando Gutierrez Sr. fashioned himself into a South Florida political heavyweight as a consultant. His opportunities to expand his reach into politics came while serving as a vice president at Central Bank, a position he worked nine years to attain.

"Both of his parents are hard workers with big hearts who give a lot to their community," said Brian Graham, Gutierrez Jr.'s former campaign manager. "And Armando has inherited the work ethic of both of them and he wants to make a difference in the community."

Like his father, Gutierrez Jr. ventured into commercial real estate purchases shortly before graduating from the University of Miami in 2003.

In 2002, he completed a 48-unit condominium with partners Martin and Michael Margulies. He sold most of the 750 units priced from $185,000 to $320,000, according to the South Florida Business Journal.

"He bought land in neighborhoods when nobody wanted to buy in and then they turned into the best neighborhoods in town because they were close to hospitals and areas like that and made a lot of money," Gutierrez Sr. said.

Gutierrez Jr. sold off some of his properties as the real estate market started to founder. He went back to school to obtain two masters degrees in management, one from the University of Miami and one from the Harvard University Extension School, which he completed in 2009.

He kept one foot involved in politics through his involvement with the Young Republicans, which allowed him to keep multiple contacts throughout the state, including Orlando attorney and noted lobbyist Fred Leonhardt, who now serves as Gutierrez's attorney.

Though Gutierrez has never held elected office, he leaped at the chance to challenge U.S. Congressman Alan Grayson and moved to Orlando in 2009.

"He's been in Central Florida a lot and he has ties throughout the state of Florida and he saw a congressional seat with someone who most see as an embarrassment," Graham said.

Leonhardt said Gutierrez also has interest in creating real estate opportunities in Central Florida, though a public-records search indicates most of his current investments are tied to South Florida.

The key property for Gutierrez right now is finding a home in Orlando with his wife of six months, Annette. The couple, who has known each other since first grade, live in a downtown condo and are looking to purchase their first home. They plan to make Orlando their permanent home, Annette said.

"The people here are so nice and friendly," Annette said.

It didn't take long for Gutierrez to introduce himself locally. He thrust himself into meet and greets, shaking hands, creating new relationships in the community and even helped lead fund-raising efforts to save the Lake Eola's water fountain, previously damaged when it was struck by lightning last August.

One of Gutierrez's focuses during his short campaign run was to create jobs in Central Florida, so when a group of investors contacted him about purchasing the Tampa Yankees and moving the team to Orlando in January, he found himself at a crossroads.

"He never intended to take it on himself and buy a sports team, he intended to push for sports teams to come here," Graham said. "They offered up a significant amount of capital and he realized he could do it himself, so that's the path he chose."

Even Gutierrez's friends and business associates warned him he could be risking his reputation by choosing the baseball venture over his campaign.

"I called after that and I said, 'Armando, I think it's a great idea.' But I said, 'The City Beautiful can turn into a pretty ugly place if you don't do what you say. Just keep that in mind with this whole baseball deal,' " McKinnon said. "He said, 'Adam, it's gonna happen.' "

Gutierrez is swinging for the fences. He says his minor-league baseball bid is "the first step" in bringing Major League Baseball to Orlando.

Striving for anything less would go against his early lessons.

"Always go for the highest and shiniest star that you can grab," Gutierrez's mother Maritza would tell her son. "And once you've achieved that one, there's another one waiting for you."



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*Credit - Orlando Sentinel
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-09-10/sports/os-armando-gutierrez-yankees-20100902_1_armando-gutierrez-dreamer-and-doer-thinker