Arizona governor approves up to $500M in taxpayer funds to upgrade home of Diamondbacks

Winnipeg Free Press

4 hours ago

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed legislation Friday that funds up to $500 million in renovations to Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The bill, which won bipartisan support in both of the state's GOP-controlled chambers, will use sales tax revenue from the stadium and nearby buildings for infrastructure upgrades over the next 30 years, including improvements to air conditioning systems and the stadium's retractable roof.
The team said it will also contribute $250 million for the renovations at the stadium, which is located in downtown Phoenix and is surrounded by small businesses and restaurants that see a boost of activity during the baseball season.
The legislation is one of a handful of bipartisan deals that Hobbs, a Democrat, prioritized negotiating during the session. She says the funding is a responsible use of taxpayer dollars, will provide good-paying jobs and ensure the Diamondbacks do not leave Phoenix.
Attendance at games has increased since the team's 2023 run to the World Series, where the Diamondbacks lost to the Texas Rangers. This season they are averaging 31,420 fans per game — the highest in two decades.
'Without the Diamondbacks in Chase Field, there wouldn't be the tax revenue that's being used,' Hobbs spokesperson Christian Slater said.
The bill cleared the Legislature June 23 after months of debate that included the question of whether the Diamondbacks could potentially leave unless a public funding deal was reached.
Other MLB teams have threatened to leave host cities if they did not get public financing.
The Oakland A's, for example, complained for years about the Oakland Coliseum and an inability to gain government assistance for a new ballpark. Now the team is bound for Las Vegas, where a groundbreaking ceremony was held this month for a $1.75 billion ballpark that is expected to be completed in time for the 2028 season. Nevada and Clark County approved up to $380 million in public funds for the project.
And last year voters in Jackson County, Missouri, rejected an attempt to extend a sales tax that would have helped fund a ballpark for the Kansas City Royals and stadium renovations for the Kansas City Chiefs. Lawmakers in Kansas are trying to lure the teams with government subsidies, and Missouri is trying to keep them with its own financial incentives.
The Diamondbacks have spent nearly three decades in their downtown ballpark, which is owned by the Maricopa County Stadium District. In 2017, the team sued the district over funding for repairs and sought to remove a contractual clause preventing the team from looking into other stadium options.
A perennial problem has been the park's air conditioning system and its ability to keep it cool in triple-digit summer heat, team president Derrick Hall said. Fans of country music star Morgan Wallen bemoaned the heat at a concert there last July, despite the retractable roof being closed. Concession stands ran out of water, and some people simply left.
Chase Field was one of the first MLB stadiums to have a retractable roof. Now seven out of the 30 teams play under one, including the Brewers, Blue Jays, Rangers, Marlins, Astros and Mariners. Chase Field also has a small swimming pool in right field, one of its most recognizable features.
The funding from the Legislature will not mean upgrades to the pool or to stadium suites, the latter of which was a sticking point for Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. She got on board after the bill was updated to prevent funds from being used for suites and a cap was placed on how much money the city would contribute for a land deal should the Diamondbacks break from the Stadium District, according to Gallego chief of staff Seth Scott.
Hobbs is running for reelection, and while it's too early to say whether the Diamondbacks funding will be part of her campaign messaging, it's another bipartisan win, her communications director Michael Beyer said.
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Democratic state Sen. Mitzi Epstein, who voted against the funding, said Hobbs' support for the bill was wrong and hurtful for Arizonans. She said she was disappointed that amendments to create public benefits such as free streaming of games failed.
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Associated Press sports writer David Brandt in Phoenix contributed.
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