The World Series begins later this week, but unlike last year, the Diamondbacks will not be participating. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still drama for the team this postseason.

The dispute between the Diamondbacks and Maricopa County over the current and future potential of Chase Field continues. Sasha Hapka, Arizona Republic County Watch Reporter; writing about it He then joined The Show to discuss the current situation.

whole conversation

Sasha Hupka: Good morning, thank you for having me.

Mark Brody: Thanks for being here. So it seems like there’s probably a disagreement between the team and the county regarding the situation. Is that a fair statement?

Sasha Hupka: I think that’s probably fair. This is a very interesting behind-the-scenes disagreement between these two organizations. Essentially what happened is that the county sent the Diamondbacks a letter with a counter-offer to the original proposal, but the offer was more expensive than the team had written in the original document. It was a far cry from what he had said before, and it was a sign that he was dissatisfied with his recent public statements. The team reported on ongoing negotiations, which meant they were progressing well.

The team leaders were not happy with that counter-offer, and that the ongoing negotiations were public, that the county sent this letter, that it was public record, and that I had access to it. He also said that he was dissatisfied with how everything went. It’s downhill from there.

Brody: Yes. Well, it sounds like it’s been downhill since then, as you say, but how far downhill has it gone? For example, where do we stand now?

Hupka: I think a good example to summarize this is that the county’s letter and subsequent publication resulted in a call to county supervisors from the real estate development company that was involved in the negotiations. His name is Andrew Cohen.

He and his boss described these calls differently, but it’s clear that these were not happy conversations. Mr. Cohen has resigned from his position with the Maricopa County Industrial Development Agency (IDA). IDA, which has little to do with Chase Field, is a committee that helps private borrowers obtain financing for projects that benefit the public, such as affordable housing. It’s a very public move, a very public break.

Brody: So, where does this leave things? So it’s clear that the team is talking about a lot of repairs that need to be made at Chase Field. The county said we’re not going to do anything like that. The team is responsible for such things, but is the team looking to improve them? Could they still be considering leaving Chase Field?

Hupka: Well, I think you’ve said to me before that it doesn’t make sense for a team to spend a lot of money on a facility that has no guarantee it will last. Lease ends in 2027. The county says that there has been some progress in negotiations. The Diamondbacks say they have not had any conversations, at least with first-team leaders, since this very public leave.

Obviously, these are two completely different statements. But I think what’s abundantly clear from the team’s side at this point is that they don’t have much interest in having serious discussions with the county’s current board of supervisors. It’s worth noting that all seats on the board will be up for election in the coming weeks, with three of the five members certain to be new to the county. However, it is unclear whether the new board will be in any way more advantageous to the team than the current board.

Brody: Yes. It seems like the team is probably trying to be a little risk-averse, and perhaps waiting until the current board is over, hoping that whoever the new member is is likely to sign a deal. . At least in the team’s minds anyway, they might negotiate more honestly.

Hupka: From all the information I’m gathering, I think this probably sums up their internal situation. Another thing that’s unclear at this point is where the city and state of Phoenix fit into all of this.

I know the city was involved in early discussions with the county, but those seem to have died down, but I think either the city or the state has a role to play in terms of providing a funding mechanism for the team. potentially have a role. The stadium needs to be renovated and redeveloped.

However, Chase Field itself is the key to all of this. So the team will likely need to discuss a solution with the county at some point. It is unclear when that will happen, and there is currently a time crunch. You know, 2027 may sound really far away to you and me, but from a stadium agreement perspective, it’s actually very close.

Brody: Yeah, just ask the Oakland A’s about that. So, I mean, where and what are you looking for? We’ll probably know who the new directors are after the November election. The specific type of information you want to read to decide, “Okay, this group is suitable for working with the D-backs, or no, this group is basically in the same position as the current board.” Is there? Perhaps the city or state will need to get involved, or the team will have to start looking for a new home? ”

Hupka: I think one of the first steps, once the new superintendent is actually elected, is to ask them what their stance is on this whole situation. what do they think of it? And I think they might come back with some sort of statement to the effect of, “Oh, yes, I’m going to talk to the team.” What’s new in these conversations with them will be very preliminary.

But I think I kind of get a feel for the vibe and just keep talking to the team and trying to understand where the conversation is from their perspective. The other thing I really want to know is, are there any other third parties being brought into the room? The county and the team appear to have a disagreement with Andrew Cohen about his role in these negotiations. We know that he has a long history of involvement in negotiations between the two organizations, dating back to 2018.

But what everyone agrees on is that Mr. Cohen was at least peripherally involved in the talks. So, I’d like to know, is he coming back into the room, and is there some other third party coming into the room who can represent both of these interests, but who can probably defuse some of the tension? Are you likely to see it coming? A little bit about the conversation.