The Arizona Diamondbacks are optimistic a bill funding Chase Field renovations and repairs will pass the state Legislature and be signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs.
The bill authorizes sales and income taxes generated at the ballpark to be put in a fund they can use to renovate and upgrade the stadium, which Diamondbacks' CEO Derrick Hall said the aging building desperately needs.
“We have a lot of things to do - fixing the HVAC, which is a very long process," Hall said. "It’s almost a 30-year-old stadium sitting in the middle of the desert, so we do have a lot of work to do.”
Hall said the organization has already put $200 million into the stadium and will likely sink another $200 million to 300 million into this public-private partnership.
“We belong downtown, we belong in that stadium and that’s where we wanna be," Hall said. "We’ve brought over $6 billion of economic impact. We’re very proud of that and if we invest in that stadium, we are sure that everyone around us is gonna do better as well.”
Hall said they have a lot of support for the bill down at the capitol. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, however, does not support the bill, citing concerns about the cost to taxpayers.
A similar funding mechanism is being used to support State Farm Stadium, where the Arizona Cardinals play. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego isn’t for the bill, citing concerns about the cost to taxpayers. She's urging Hobbs to use her influence to improve the bill.
"I understand the position that she's taking when she wants to make sure everybody's got enough skin in the game," Hall said. "I think it's also tough for any municipality to be told what to do by the state."
So far, the bill has made it through the House and is headed to the Senate.
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