Arizona Legislature passes Diamondbacks stadium funding bill. Hobbs signaled she'll sign it

A bill to allow the use of state and local taxes to pay for stadium repairs for the Arizona Diamondbacks passed out of the state Legislature on Monday – and Gov. Katie Hobbs has already signaled she will sign it.

House Bill 2704 would allow some sales and income tax dollars collected at Chase Field over the next 30 years to be used to fund major repairs.

Under the deal, tax dollars would contribute up to $500 million to the project, though a 3% inflationary adjustment included in the bill will push that figure upward starting in 2027.

The House approved the legislation on a bipartisan 35-20 vote after it passed out of the Senate last week.

“Politics doesn't have to be in everything,” said Rep. Jeff Weninger (R-Chandler), who sponsored HB 2704. “This is about a team we all love, a team that provides incredible economic development to this state, and a point of pride.”

Some Democrats and Republicans opposed the bill, arguing public dollars shouldn’t be used to benefit a private sports team and its billionaire owner.

“I heard from so many of my constituents, probably more than I’ve heard from on any other bill, that they are tired of being asked for their tax dollars to be spent on private corporations,” Sen. Analise Ortiz (D-Phoenix) said.

Democrats in the Senate attempted to make multiple changes to the bill to benefit the public, like requirements to lower concession prices or provide a free Diamondbacks streaming service for Arizonans.

But those measures failed to gain traction in the Senate and did not re-emerge before the House vote.

But Hobbs, the Democratic governor, indicated she will sign the legislation.

Politics

Phoenix now backs bill to use sales tax dollars to help renovate Chase Field

Wayne Schutsky

Phoenix now supports a bill that would use state and local tax dollars to fund stadium repairs for the Arizona Diamondbacks after negotiating changes to the legislation, according to a city memo.

For months, Hobbs only said she wanted a bipartisan deal that all stakeholders could live with, but declined to say whether she supported the various versions of HB 2704 moving through the Legislature.

One of the main stakeholders, the city of Phoenix, came out in support of the project last week after months of opposition. That came after a handful of concessions, including capping the city’s sales tax contribution at 3.5%.

Shortly after the House passed the bill, Hobbs made her position abundantly clear in a social media post.

“I'm thrilled that the legislature has passed a bill that will keep the Diamondbacks in Phoenix and create good-paying jobs. This is a huge win for every Arizonan,” Hobbs said.

The deal, when signed, could put to bed the specter of the Diamondbacks leaving Arizona just a few years after the state lost its professional hockey franchise after voters refused to help fund that team’s stadium plans.

Though Diamondbacks’ officials have danced around whether the team would leave the state, rumors and fears have swirled for years as the team squabbled with Maricopa County officials over who should be responsible for major repairs to a stadium that is owned by the county stadium district but greatly benefits the Major League Baseball franchise.

“This will be a monumental victory for baseball and Diamondbacks fans when signed by Governor Katie Hobbs. We could then shift our focus to a proper lease extension, negotiation with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in hopes of modernizing and renovating this public asset to a level those fans deserve,” Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall said in a statement.

The team has committed to contributing $250 million to the stadium improvements, though the legislation doesn’t require the team to make those payments.

Instead, it includes language requiring the team to cover outstanding debts for the stadium district if the legislature repeals the law, because the team did not pay its share. Phoenix can also take ownership of the stadium land if the team’s lease with the county ends, according to the bill.