http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendal...ining18-ON.html

 

State panel: Yes to 2 more spring-training venues

 

Carrie Watters

Dec. 18, 2006 04:08 PM

 

 

Valley baseball fans could soon be breaking out their Dodger Blue and Chief Wahoo shirts.

 

The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority now says it has found enough money to fund both Goodyear and Glendale's requests for spring training facilities.

 

Goodyear would get money toward a one-team stadium for the Cleveland Indians, although it would likely have to come up with more of its own funding.

 

Glendale would get money toward a two-team facility for the LA Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox, who currently play spring ball in Tucson.

 

"We'll be able to achieve what's good for the Cactus League . . . The Dodgers and the Indians coming to Arizona," said Larry Landry, chairman of the sports authority board.

 

Previous sports authority forecasts of limited finances had pitted the two West Valley cities against one another, with dueling bids for public funding.

 

Details are limited as deals still are under negotiation, but the sports authority is expected to act at a board meeting on Thursday.

 

Funding both proposals would expand the state's Cactus League to 14 teams - 15 if the White Sox find a replacement team for Pima County, as their contract requires.

 

Landry said sports authority number crunchers took another look at their previous estimate, which showed that $48 million would be available for another project beginning in 13 years.

 

The authority re-examined financial assumptions in several areas, he said.

 

Landry couldn't say how much more money the authority now estimates to have available, or when it would begin to flow to the two cities.

 

He said funding both would not stretch the sports authority too thin, although "this will completely deplete our bank (for new spring training stadiums)."

 

The sports authority was created six years ago to build the University of Phoenix Stadium and to support spring training and other sporting and tourism ventures. The authority is largely funded with a Maricopa County rental car and hotel bed tax.

 

Under Glendale's proposal, city officials requested $48 million from the sports authority for an $80.7 million stadium on city-owned land in Phoenix near Camelback Road and 107th Avenue.

 

Landry said the project could get funding "in that range."

 

He emphasized the deal would hinge on the White Sox coming through with a replacement team for Pima County if they want to head north before 2013 when the teams contract expires. Team owner Jerry Reinsdorf has already made that promise. He hasn't said what team it would be.

 

Glendale officials declined comment until they get final word on the level of funding they can expect. "We'll feel much better when we hear from them officially," Glendale spokeswoman Julie Frisoni said.

 

In Goodyear, officials requested two-thirds funding from the sports authority for either a $77.5 million two-team facility or $56 million one-team facility near Estrella Parkway and Yuma Road.

 

The city has not yet secured a second team.

 

Sports authority officials have been meeting with Goodyear staff to consider a 50 percent match on a one-team facility, which would be about $8 million less than requested.

 

Goodyear Deputy City Manager Brian Dalke said negotiations are ongoing with a couple of possibilities. "It would be premature to speculate if it would be X-amount or X-percentage," Dalke said.

 

Right down the street from me! GO SOX!!

Sweet.

 

Now's just the matter of finding a replacement team in Tucson.

 

And I'm definitely going to try and make my way back to Glendale in the upcoming years if we do indeed move our ST operations there.

Good news because it's a b**** to drive from Phoenix area to Tucson. Hopefully this goes through.

Freaking awesome. Now all that the Sox have to do is find someone to replace them. I assume the Sox would still have at least two more seasons at TEP (this year and the next year).

Haha since I'm the only one mad about this move ... Boo.

 

Buddy of mine lives real close to the park so it isn't a hassle for me nor him getting there. Ah well, Go Sox.

Does any one know when spring training starts? I'm in withdrawl without the Sox!!

Does any one know when spring training starts? I'm in withdrawl without the Sox!!

 

Pitchers and catchers will report on or about February 15th.

Pitchers and catchers will report on or about February 15th.

 

Thanks a bunch now, I can start my count down to spring training!!

Thanks a bunch now, I can start my count down to spring training!!

 

Hey ... No charge.

That would be GREAT if they moved to Glendale. The drive from L.A. isn't too bad but its that extra hour and a half or so south to Tucson that drag on because I know the Sox are there waiting! Tucson Electric Park is a gorgeous place but with friends in Phoenix it would make it a LOT easier. For those of you who haven't done the Spring Training thing, its really great. Its a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Plus, there are a lot of teams within a 20 minute drive so you can catch a couple games a day.

 

I thought the Indians were the team we were hoping would take our spot at TEP. If they're gonna get their own place now, that could complicate matters.

Check this out .... from Tracy Ringolsby of The Rocky Mointain News:

 

With the state of Arizona indicating it has the funding to build a two-team spring training complex for the White Sox and Dodgers in Glendale and a single-team facility for Cleveland in Goodyear, there's renewed speculation the Rockies could leave Tucson.

 

Their lease, signed when the White Sox and Arizona agreed to train at Tucson Electric Park, gives them an out if there aren't three teams based in Tucson. The White Sox, contractually bound to Tucson through 2013, are trying to get around that by substituting a Japanese team, but that isn't likely to be accepted by Pima County officials and won't be endorsed by the Rockies and Diamondbacks.

Yeah I don't really know what they're thinking there if that's the case.

 

I heard the 2 teams most likely to move into Tucson though were the Reds and Orioles, so hopefully something happens there.

Either way it sounds like the Dodgers will be sharing that facility with the Sox (either immediately when its built, if the Sox can get the Reds or another team to come over) or in 2013 when there lease is up.

 

Please let someone come sooner so I can stop making that drive to Tuscon before 2013.

Either way it sounds like the Dodgers will be sharing that facility with the Sox (either immediately when its built, if the Sox can get the Reds or another team to come over) or in 2013 when there lease is up.

 

Please let someone come sooner so I can stop making that drive to Tuscon before 2013.

 

Yeah, I don't so much mind the drive from L.A. to Phoenix, but the trip to Tucson can get tedious. Plus, there's so many other games to catch in the Phoenix area too. It's where its at, two turntables and a microphone.

 

Glendale is awesome