Arizona Diamondbacks
Has been updated: February 20, 2023 at 4:32 PM
A general view outside Chase Field before an MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 5, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks are no closer to extending the lease on Chase Field, which expires in 2027, and the organization continues to weigh its options.
Team president and CEO Derrick Hall and owner Ken Kendrick spoke to reporters on Monday to provide an update on the complex stadium situation.
Owned by the Maricopa County Stadium District, Chase Field is the fourth-oldest park in the National League, and Hall said where the team will play in the future “is up in the air.”
“It’s a pretty complicated issue for us because we’re county-owned, but we’re trying to work with the city and the state. It has to be a partnership,” Hall said. If we stay downtown, we’re going to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in ballparks.
“…There are a lot of moving parts. We are still looking at what other options we have in Maricopa County, not outside of Maricopa County, and there are some interested parties.”
Hall said the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s lockouts have slowed momentum in finding long-term solutions over the past few seasons.
But Chase Field’s roof cable issues for 2022 and the ticking clock on the lease agreement continue to underscore the need to offer something. The D-back can only open and close the roof when no fan is present as a precaution. This continues to be the case this year.
Hall said he wanted to know the direction of the team by this summer, and Kendrick joked that he wanted to know before he died.
Ultimately, a decision will be made on what the D-backs see as the greatest annual earnings potential in the future. Kendrick said increased revenue translates into higher salaries for the team.
“When you look at the new ballpark, its office space, hotels and restaurants, whether downtown or elsewhere, you can benefit,” Hall said. “Where are those opportunities for us, that’s another thing we’re talking about internally because around the ballpark he wants to have revitalization 365 days a year.”
They said it was important for the team to stay downtown because of its history, Kendrick’s investment in the area, and more people moving in.
As Hall says, if the D-backs remain as they are, new scoreboards and audio systems could come more quickly, with a three- to seven-year timeline for renovations. Kendrick added that fixing the infrastructure and improving the fan experience will be the main goal.
“We want to be as appealing to the fans as possible because he and she are the ones who pay the bills,” Kendrick said. Now you can and frankly some of the premium things that our friends the Suns have to offer to the fans they’re selling outside.They have a great team has been recognized for its achievements.
“People are willing to spend more money if the experience is better, so we feel our fans deserve it. We are ready to spend as much as we can and we are not looking for subsidies.”
Sands will complete a $230 million renovation in 2021. Meanwhile, Arizona His Coyote has moved out of his former home in Gila River His Arena (now Desert His Diamond Arena) and seeks to secure a privately funded arena and entertainment district in Tempe.
Chase Field, the only stadium the D-backs have called home since 1998, paid Mostly county sales tax increased by 0.25% to $238 million. Kendrick explained that the ownership group is ready to put in more than $150 million of his and pay for financially viable options.
