SCOTTSDALE — Arizona Diamondbacks managing partner Ken Kendrick and president Derrick Hall speak to reporters at the start of each spring training, and on Monday they provided updates on Chase Field’s renovation status.
For the upcoming season, the roof is ready to go.
The catch-all system is finished, and the D-backs will resume Friday night fireworks nights while able to open and close the roof with fans inside. The only difference is it may take a bit longer to fully open and shut, so Hall joked they may have to extend the theme song a bit.
Looking toward the future of the ballpark, the Diamondbacks await the Arizona House vote on HB2704, a tax recapture bill that would provide funding to Chase Field from sales taxes collected at the stadium. By renovating the stadium, Hall argues, the Diamondbacks would generate more sales taxes for the state, city and county.
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“We’ve been looking for a public-private partnership for quite some time, and this is clearly it,” Hall said. “With all the support we’re happy that we have right now down at the Capitol, I’m very eager to see this thing get to a vote.
“We saw it with the Suns when they renovated and updated Footprint Center. Those sales taxes have been lifted all around as a result of it. If we renovate this ballpark, we generate more revenue from more fans coming out.”
HB2704, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Weninger, was introduced on Jan. 29.
The House Commerce Committee approved the bill last week, and it will now go to a vote in the House before moving onto the Arizona Senate and then the desk of Gov. Katie Hobbs, who has told AZCentral.com she backs the legislation.
Hall said he was not sure when the vote will occur, hoping it will commence in the next couple weeks. There have been amendments adopted by the Commerce Committee, including penalties for the Diamondbacks if they relocate. The D-backs would have to pay the $10 million if they leave the state by Oct. 1, 2035.
The Diamondbacks have not negotiated a lease extension with Maricopa County under its new board of supervisors. The lease is up in 2027, and Hall said the vote will come first.
“It’s like night and day,” Hall said of his optimism compared to last spring training. “We feel the partnership is there. … I think everybody understands the importance of having the Diamondbacks downtown, the economic driver that we have become and that we will continue to be.”
Renovations would take three to five years and cost $400-$500 million. Updates include infrastructure — notably the outdated HVAC system as well as pipes, plumbing and concrete — along with more visible upgrades such as the video board and club seating. The team has said it will put $200-$300 million of its own money right away into renovations.
“When it comes to the HVAC system, it’s going to have to be completely overhauled,” Hall said. “One of the first items of business that we will do is repair that entire system. But it’s old, it’s antiquated. It’s had its issues.”
The Diamondbacks made adjustments after a particularly muggy atmosphere during a sell-out game against the Philadelphia Phillies last August on replica ring night.
Cooling the stadium sooner, managing doors around the facility to keep heat out and limiting moisture from hoses inside were practices that will continue.
Diamondbacks address concerns with Chase Field bill
Hall broke down some of the figures involved in negotiations to address concerns around diverted tax funds from public services.
“There’s a total of 5.6% at the state level, we took the 0.6% that is designated for education and held it harmless to give that back to the state so that education wasn’t impacted,” Hall said. “At the county, what we’re considering right now of the 0.7% sales tax that you get from the county, 0.2% of that has been designated for jail … We want to continue having that go towards the jail system and that was voted on.
“Then in the city, what we’re looking at of their 2.3%, taking the 0.3% that is designated for fire, police, first responders, public safety and leaving that where it is. So we’re giving up some financial opportunity … so that we don’t lose any of those services.”
The bill would still divert the majority of taxes collected at the ballpark to stadium renovation and has sparked both public approval and reservations from lawmakers at the state, city and county levels.
Diamondbacks continue to see increased interest from fans
Hall said the Diamondbacks are up 20% across all ticket sales year-over-year compared to last season, shortly after Arizona made its run to the World Series.
The club projects to draw over 30,000 fans per game for the first time since 2008. Last year, the average attendance was 28,912, the biggest year-over-year difference in MLB at 4,700.
“The fans coming to the ballpark and spending their money is a big factor in us reinvesting in our payroll,” Kendrick said.
The Diamondbacks expect to make the postseason after missing out by a tiebreaker last season, counting on an improved pitching staff headlined by newcomer Corbin Burnes and Zac Gallen.
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