The Diamondbacks were at least considering relocating to Henderson, Nev., “as of late February,” Blake Apgar of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes. The franchise and the city of Henderson have engaged in serious discussions for a publicly owned, property tax-exempt ballpark with approximately 32,000 seats and 4,000 standing-room-only ticket holders. Those talks have “stalled,” according to Apgar, though Henderson spokeswoman Kathleen Richards stated this week there’s no “official word” from the team on whether the project will move forward.
The Diamondbacks have been seeking a new stadium in Arizona, where they’ve played since they first began major league action in 1998. The franchise hasn’t received that facility, though, and the stadium lease it agreed to with Maricopa County in Arizona in May 2018 will allow the club to leave its current home – Chase Field – as early as 2022. If the Diamondbacks were to exit Arizona of their own accord then, they’d have to pay between $5MM and $25MM. However, they could depart without penalty if Major League Baseball were to mandate a move.
The Diamondbacks have given real consideration to Henderson, where they’ve “expressed interest in creating a development at a potential new home” worth around $1 billion, Apgar writes. The city even signed a nondisclosure agreement with the team dated July 31, 2018, called “Project Marble.”
“I hope, above all else, (our submission) reflects the pride that we take in our community and our ardent belief that a partnership with Major League Baseball is not only viable but provides great opportunities for our city and your organization,” mayor Debra March wrote in a cover letter to Diamondbacks chief executive officer Derrick Hall.
According to Apgar, Hall emailed Henderson city manager Richard Derrick on Jan. 4, saying, “Have not forgotten you!” Hall added, “Hopefully there is still strong interest there as we go through the MLB motions.” Derrick replied that there’s “very strong interest,” but it doesn’t seem as if the two sides have continued to seriously discuss relocation since the winter. For its part, the team stated (via Apgar) it hasn’t “received permission from MLB” to pursue a new city “and our desire is, first and foremost, to stay in Arizona.”
ogenshnot5194
Chase field is fine
Yoel Rodriguez
Is ok weird looking stadium..and food is freaking expensive in Chase field.
HalElliott
Have you ever been to another stadium?
theoepsteinhof
Can’t stand indoor baseball!! Just wrong.
SFGiants4ever
Theoepsteinhof, AZ is obviously hot hence the roof on the stadium, it’s not constantly an indoor stadium with the retractable roof.
mt in baltimore
Compared to what??
jbigz12
The food is expensive? The food isn’t going to be any cheaper in a new stadium.
Koamalu
Chase Field is a cavernous pit that suffers tremendously from the $200 million in deferred maintenance and upgrades that Maricopa county refused to do even though they were contractually obligated to do them. The AC doesn’t always work that well and sometimes the people in the upper decks are frozen. The roof is having serious issues and sometimes simply will not open. There are so many little issues that is would take a long article to list them all. Luckily the AZ Republic has done several great articles on the deficiencies of Chase Field so I don’t have to list them.
Dixon Miaz
What?? Chase field is only like 20 years old
Koamalu
That is exactly how long that Maricopa County has put off doing any maintenance or upgrades to the park.
jimmyz
Ok, but why is it the county/local government’s job to finance renovations and perform routine maintenance on a tax payer funded building that is exclusively used by a private entity that is a part of a multi-billion dollar a year industry?
Michael Birks
+100
Goku the Knowledgable One
Because if you don’t pay, they don’t play.
. or at least they’ll play in Vegas
Koamalu
The owners of the stadium, the Maricopa County Stadium District, were contractually obligated to do maintenance, repairs and upgrades in exchange for the Diamondbacks paying rent and for the Diamondbacks giving up the right to hold other events at the stadium.
In the original agreement, the Diamondbacks were not even allowed to do any repairs or maintenance on the stadium. As a result of their lawsuit in 2018 they were allowed to do repairs they felt necessary and to get out of the lease earlier. Per the agreement, the Diamondbacks will be responsible for the management, operation and maintenance of Chase Field going forward, along with any future repairs and physical work at the stadium. The team will also be given the right to book and revenue from events booked at the stadium, as well as any other revenue-generating activities, and it will immediately be allowed to explore options for repairing and rebuilding Chase Field.
A study by Maricopa County showed that in addition to $200 million in deferred maintenance and repairs the stadium would need an additional $187 million between 2019 and 2027 when the original lease expired.
Prior to 2019, Chase Field was used almost exclusively by the Diamondbacks because the Maricopa Country Stadium District, the entity that owns Chase Field, is bankrupt and had not been financially able to pay the associated costs (ushers and ticket takers, security, police, utilities, insurance, etc…) of holding other events there. Baseball is only played there 83 days per year. The other 282 days the park was available for Maricopa County Stadium District to hold events there if they choose to. They could not.
If you live in Maricopa County, you did not pay any of the costs of building Chase Field. That was paid entirely out of TOT.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
Diamondbacks Have Considered Nevada Relocation
Are these owners drunk?
There’s nothing wrong with Chase Field!
It’s a beautiful stadium
If the Owners are unhappy sell the team and get someone tow own them who loves Phoenix and the stadium!
SMH
fred-3
Chase isn’t beautiful. It’s baseball at a warehouse
tradbrad
Chase is great. Doubt that anything in Vegas will be any better. It’d still need a retractable roof. Don’t get these owners at all: first the Braves with Turner, then the Rangers with the Arlington place (whatever it’s called… that place is gorgeous), and now this. Perfectly good stadiums being wasted on greedy owners who aren’t willing to put their team’s profits back into stadium improvements, and instead feel the public should pay for them, AGAIN.
CowboysoldierFTW
The ballpark in Arlington is gorgeous but the heat makes families with young kids stay away in the summer.
schellis 2
That is one thing I can’t complain about the reds. They are constantly upgrading that park. I agree if a stadium is old at twenty years then it was both poorly designed and maintained if the tax payers have paid for it and they are showing up for games then the team should have to stick there. Leave Vegas for the rays. Sorry rays fans poor park poor location have difficulty drawing when winning. Now that’s a team I’d be ok with moving. Though I still rather see them explore a better location in area for park first.
Like braves and rangers a new park here isn’t needed especially when it is tax funded.
b-rar
What’s not to get? They’re greedy sonsabitches with local pols on payroll.
RBI
Turner Field wasn’t built for the Braves – it was built for the 1996 Olympics, then modified to allow baseball. Braves moved 14 miles up the road so the new stadium could be a destination for entertainment, including restaurants and bars and shops that the politicians in Atlanta would not allow. Nobody wanted to go to the area around Turner Field, including the people who lived close by. I grew up close by, and it is a true ghetto. Braves were ok with staying if some updates were made and they were allowed to lead a renovation of the area around the stadium.
Koamalu
The Diamondbacks rent the stadium from the Maricopa County Ballpark District. Maricopa County has not done $200 million worth of repairs and maintenance on the park that is part of their agreement with the team. The ballpark has turned into a poorly maintained and cavernous pit that is half empty most nights.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
@Fred
I don’t buy that, Irv.
There is some really beautiful artwork inside the stadium and copper work as well. The field is in good shape, and I don’t see the issue.
Those Owners suck!
bigkempin
Their few fans might love the stadium and city of Phoenix….the the bulk of Phoenix doesn’t care. Attendance is only up when a popular team comes to town.
delete
More people would come if the stadium was located in a better part of the valley. No one wants to drive downtown at rush hour and then pay a fortune for parking. If there even is parking left. Getting into the stadium three innings late after work after paying full ticket prices no fun and people pass on the pleasure.
Koamalu
Until Talking Stick Arena was built there was nothing to do in the area. Few bars or restaurants. You could go just a few blocks south or east and you were in a real bad part of town. The joke in Phoenix was to stay away from the Presidents because it was such a bad area of town and Chase is on Jefferson. Parking is really bad. The ballpark has had so little maintenance and repair in the past 20 years that the warts are clearly showing to anyone who has attended more than 1 game there in the last year. Often the roof just refuses to move. The AC is unpredictable. Fans in the upper deck either roast or freeze with no real in between. And then there is the drive getting there. I have a winter place north of W. Bell off 69th Ave and it can take an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half to get to the park if traffic is bad and its almost always bad.
Goku the Knowledgable One
…but there’s no land to build on in Arizona…..
Koamalu
Have you been to a game at Chase Field recently? Its not a beautiful stadium and it has serious warts caused by $200 million in deferred maintenance.
johansantana17
“The city even signed a nondisclosure agreement with the team dated July 31, 2018,”
Sounds like someone breached, unless the term was only 1 year.
bbatardo
Considering the timing of this seems highly likely it was 1 year.
Francys01
I wonder why there is not a baseball team in New Jersey. I know New York is close and there are two teams Yankees and Mets but you know what they say competition is always good. There should a baseball team there.
Jean Matrac
NJ doesn’t have a major city like NYC, Philadelphia, or Washington. Even Baltimore represents a better city for MLB than any city in NJ. A team in Newark would be just another team in the NY metro area. That leaves Trenton, which just isn’t a city that can attract a major league sports team. There are large to mid-sized cities all over the US like Columbus, San Antonio, Portland, and Vegas, that are better options that don’t have an MLB team, not to mention Montreal.
Francys01
Thanks for responding.
Swen
Montreal had a team and the “fans” didn’t show up. They don’t deserve a second chance. I thought it was stupid for NHL to give Winnipeg another team when they lost it for the same low attendance. I predict in 2030 the Jets will be moved out of Winnipeg again.
Guertez
Montreal rejected Jeffrey Loria at the end. Before he was terrible in Miami, he drove the Expos franchise into the ground. There is a long history of support for baseball in Montreal and it would be great for a team to be back there again.
rct
Montreal had no problems with attendance until Loria purposely ran them into the ground. Get your facts straight.
Swen
“Montreal rejected Jeffery Loria at the end”…”Montreal had no problems with attendance until”… Thanks for the facts.
Koamalu
The Expos were in the bottom 10 of attendance in all but a 5 years of their 36 year existence. The is no history of support for baseball there.
Matt Galvin
Orlando?
Donkatsu
Baseball is not popular in Florida. Look at Rays and Marlins
jakec77
The truth is the market best suited for a major league team (if a team were to move or MLB were to expand) would be a third team in the NY market, and based on where the other two are currently located north Jersey would be the best place. (By best market I’m basing on population, income, and existing industry to buy luxury boxes and stadium naming rights).
But, with Yankees and Mets both holding territorial rights, it would be a big lift. Not to mention that for a generation the new team would be very much playing 3rd fiddle to the two existing franchises.
But, if hockey can (barely) support three teams in the one market, baseball surely could. Hell, at one point a quarter of MLB teams all played within NYC borders.
jessethegreat 2
No. A team that moves or would be an expansion team would not typically be a playoff team. Between the price of land in the NYC market and the fickle fans, a new team would not draw. Look at the Yanks a couple years ago with their mini-rebuild/retool. They didn’t draw attendance like you’d expect. If the Yankees can’t draw with a .500 team in NY with their rich and glorious history, no chance an expansion / moved team could draw there.
jakec77
Not sure what year you are referring to- 2016? But Yankees havent been under 3 million in attendance in 20 years.
Mets have been in low 2 millions every year since Citifield opened other than the very first season 10 years ago, but they’ve also been below .500 for all but two of those seasons.
Yankees are far and away the highest valued franchise in the sport; Mets are 6th.
YankeesBleacherCreature
Attendance isn’t the best metric to measure either NY teams’ profitability. They both decided to build new stadiums with fewer seats while increasing ticket and concession prices. Both teams have luxury seating that are routinely sold out to corporate entities. People just don’t sit in them when they teams aren’t doing well.
highpointer
Why should the New York City metropolitan area get a third team, when there are many people living in the USA who don’t have access to attending major league baseball games? Consider that there are some large and growing metropolitan area, like Charlotte, Nashville, Austin, Portland, Salt Lake City, and several others, that don’t have major league baseball teams and are bigger than at least a few metropolitan areas without MLB. Columbus is the largest city in Ohio, yet it seems unfair to me and to residents of the capital city of Ohio that Cleveland and Cincinnnati have MLB teams and have had teams for over 100 years, yet Columbus has never had an MLB team.
metnoxious
Also the territorial rights. Neither the Yankees or Mets or the Phillies for that matter would allow another team into their rights protected area.
Mrtwotone
I lived in Nashville and that would be a perfect place for an mlb team. Its a pretty big city that’s growing a ton. Plus in the south the only team there is is the braves. I wouldn’t be a fan but they would draw more attendance then tampa
thecoffinnail
Columbus is not a mid size city. My job transferred me there for a bit and I was surprised to find out that it has more people than Cleveland and Cincinnati combined.
highpointer
I lived for a long time in the Phoenix area, and attended many games at Bank One Ballpark/Chase Field. I found it easy to get to and I could park on the street within walking distance, but I didn’t live far away (in Tempe).
I liked the ballpark, but I haven’t been to the park since 2013 because I moved to the Seattle area in 2014. I could understand that without maintenance, the condition of the park could degrade.
I have visited the Cincinnati area a couple of times in my life, and I came away with the impression that the Cincinnati area is alot smaller than the Phoenix area. The Reds were the first professional team in 1869, and the Reds have been on of MLB’s more successful teams over its history. If the Reds can do well in an older and smaller metropolitan area, why can’t the Diamondbacks do significantly better?
angels24
I think they could put a team in North Carolina, the people there love baseball
metsie1
Yankees, Mets and Phillies all have territorial rights into New Jersey. Unless big money is paid none of those teams will allow another team into their “territory”.
extreme113
What’s the population of Henderson and its suburbs?
gilgunderson
Henderson itself is a suburb of Las Vegas, right next door. The whole Las Vegas metropolitan area has about 2.2 million people.
Koamalu
Population doesn’t really matter all that much. Tickets are not the biggest driver of revenue for MLB clubs. Media (TV, streaming, radio), corporate sponsorships, and luxury boxes provide the lion’s share of revenue. Phoenix is a much bigger market than Las Vegas in any case.
lowtalker1
There is a clause in their lease that grants relocation but only within the county of Maricopa. Chase field is too big and Arizona is cubs county.
Though the city hasn’t held up to their end of the lease by playing for x amount of repairs on the stadium per year and which started the whole discussion on relocation. The new stadium is supposed to be in Scottsdale or near talking stick arena.
HalElliott
AZ is not cubs country, ridiculous statement.
politicsNbaseball
Arizona in general is full of Chicago transplants/homers. Probably more Blackhawk fans in Arizona than Coyote fans
sundevil86
Cubs country? One of the dumbest comments I’ve ever seen.
Nego
Chase Field is right beside Talking Stick Arena
AZPat
Talking stick arena is nowhere near talking stick resort. I know, confusing.
Yankeepride88
Lol Cubs town? I live here and while there are more Cubs fans than Rockies fans, that is so untrue. There are transplants from MANY states. I would actually guess more people from Cali come here than Illinois.
JayRyder
This has got to be some leverage stuff the D Backs are pulling…
bobtillman
They could play half their games in Henderson, and half in Florence, Nevada…..thus be known as the Florence Hendersons……..
pr0ject2501
Stop being a genius.
jorge78
Badda Bing!
WhiteSox1961
Phoenix metro population is 4.8 million. Vegas metro population is 2.2 million. MLB is not going to abandon Phoenix. Vegas will eventually get a team through expansion not relocation and the eventual stadium will be sited in Downtown Las Vegas not in Henderson.
jdgoat
I could see the league pulling the plug on Tampa or Oakland if they can’t get their stadium deals done.
WhiteSox1961
Exactly. Maybe the A’s get a new stadium. There’s just too much money in the Bay Area to leave it all with Giants to grab. Tampa Bay is a goner whether to Montreal or some other place – just a matter of when.
Strike Four
You’re more than correct with the Bay Area and money. In fact, your post is off, just move the Rays to San Jose (Rays with the Sharks – cool theme but doesnt have anything to do with the area hah) and give the Bay what it deserves: 3 teams!
gilgunderson
The Giants hold the territorial rights to San Jose, which is the main reason why the A’s haven’t moved there.
I think the A’s will finally get their new stadium in Oakland. The currently proposed design looks really nice.
Koamalu
Tampa is one of the largest markets in the US. MLB will not move the team from there. They may move the Rays from ST Pete to Tampa, but not out of the area.
ColossusOfClout
South end of the Strip, close to the Raider/UNLV stadium is far more likely than downtown.
hiflew
Hopefully they change the nickname. Diamondbacks is just too long and D-Backs is just too close to D-Bags for the opposing fans. Doesn’t have to be cutesy. Nevada Miners would work.
angels24
Blackjacks
hiflew
I doubt MLB would sign off on anything gambling related.
nymetsking
Brothels?
aberdeen101
It’s a big time joke when these franchises threaten to move with still a good facility that isn’t that old.
hiflew
The only problem with that logic is that it’s not really a joke because it works. Teams get what they want most of the time, so you can’t really fault them. You can’t get mad at a six year old for asking for a cookie before dinner if he sees you giving them to everyone else.
nymetsking
Cookie you say?
wjf010
Put the A’s there. They’re used to moving around
SFGiants74
They’ve been in Oakland for 51 years. That’s not a lot of moving around.
chickensgotmyhens
well. when you thought the montreal/tampa thing was stoooopid, nope, we. the arizona dbagks propose to move to a different state because muh we are unhappy with our stadium. you guys. quit building bad stadiums. comerica was built when? that thing aint goin nowhere. the whole texas thing is understandable. they need an enclosed stadium. im all for a new stadium. spend the money. more money, more problems, also. its a win win for a new stadium. ive never heard anyone say, im going to visit chase field. name it like Desert Dome. The Sand Castle. with all our luck they get a new stadium and name it after the highest bidder, oh wait. thats capitalism. and what is going to happen. what im saying is spend the money. demolish the old thing. money money money. its all good for everyone. but quit building crappy ballparks. yall look like fools. every twenty years needing new stuff. you know its not ok to be greedy, just do it correctly
jorge78
Have you been drinking?
hiflew
That paragraph is oddly capitalized.
giveemthecurve
Wow, it’s been 6 hours and nobody gave you credit for your “capitalized” comment. Shame on you guys!
nymetsking
Drugs are bad mkay?
bravesiowafan
All of these billion dollar teams want free new tax paid for stadiums as if they can’t afford it or stay where they are….
Koamalu
The Diamondbacks are talking about privately financing a stadium on Native American land off the 101 in the Phoenix area. Where did you see that they want a free new tax paid for stadium? Even Chase Field was paid for in TOT, not taxes on the locals.
jdgoat
What a joke this is clearly to put pressure on the city of Phoenix. Chase field is fine why are they being so greedy?
Koamalu
Chase Field is not fine. The Diamondbacks had to sue to get a new agreement that allowed them to do maintenance and repairs at the stadium that had not been done since it was opened in 1998. There was $200 million in deferred maintenance and repairs.
bobtillman
Here’s the plan…
1. Rays play half their games in Tampa, half in Montreal….
2. D-Backs play half their games in Phoenix, half in Tampa
3. Henderson Hops (expansion) play half their games in Montreal (“Les Hops”), half in Phoenix…
This stuff is easier than it looks….
jdgoat
And the players are all interchangeable. The ExRays play the DevilBacks in Tampa and then on getaway day it’s just a free for all between two planes. The first 25 guys go one way and the last 25 go the other.
Cave
*FedExRays.
jeffmaz
Just another billionaire owner (this one is connected to the Koch Bros) trying to shake down taxpayers for free money instead of paying for his own stadium. They bought a franchise, made a fortune and ask for handouts. Voters are fed up and no way will anyone in AZ approve this scam.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
At what point would voters in AZ get a say in them moving to NV?
hiflew
Just more taxpayers expecting city revenue while someone else pays for it. Those billionaires and those franchises pay more in taxes than most taxpayers combined. And they generate FAR more revenue and FAR more jobs for cities than most other taxpayers as well.
I don’t agree with the relocation threats, but don’t act like taxpayers would be doing them a favor. That stadium doesn’t just generate revenue for owners, it generates revenue for everyone. So asking everyone to pay is not that unreasonable.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
The proof is in the pudding…
Has any city ever lost a team and NOT tried to get one back?
Baltimore lost the Colts, got the Ravens. Cleveland lost the Browns/Ravens, got the Browns. They moved the (football) Cardinals from St. Louis to Phoenix and then St. Louis stole the Rams…until LA stole them back. Oakland to LA back to Oakland to Vegas. St. Louis and San Diego tried to get the Raiders, too. Houston to Nashville, but still back in Houston, now, too. Etc.
And that’s just SOME of the NFL examples. Atlanta didn’t care at all about it’s first NHL team and still wanted to try it again.
Whenever cities loses a team, they want to get it/another one back, because they are worth it.
The problem isn’t that public money gets used. It’s that public money gets used and then it’s basically privatized via an absurd lease where the team owner keeps almost all of the money. That is not a good deal. If the city actually owns and benefits from the stadium/arena, it’s a net positive.
Dad
It’s not worth it financially wise. It’s all about civic pride and baloney like that. If they took the money and then put it into development of their city like they should instead of ball parks they would reap more benefits than an NFL franchise that plays eight damn games at their town a year
timhearden
I call MAJOR B.S. There’s no way the 21-year-old D-Backs get a new stadium/relocation approval before the 118-year-old A’s, whose ballpark is twice as old as Chase Field.
DarkSide830
there will be a Vegas expansion team soon anyway. just stay where you are D-Backs.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
Pirates “fans’ think they can boycott Nutting into spending more money…despite him very very clearly not being a “you gotta spend money to make money” kinda guy. A more likely scenario…
The Vegas Pirates.
schellis 2
Which is a shame. The pirates park is one of the best.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
It’s the best. Camden Yards is awesome, too, but PNC crushes it.
Hiring the right architect is evidently really crucial. PNC is amazing and brilliant facing the city’s skyline across the river. Meanwhile, Heinz Field is a windy torture chamber with open side that faces….a dirt hill with an old wooden Bayer sign. Genius. Couldn’t have figured out to turn the thing a few degrees, I guess.
nymetsking
Agreed. For me, it’s: 1-Wrigley, 2- PNC & 3- Camden.
colonel flagg
I know I’m probably in the minority, but I don’t get Wrigley. I haven’t been there since the remodel so I may be missing something, but I’ve been to the park prior to that at least a dozen times and I never found it particularly appealing. I know it’s old and quaint, but just don’t see what others seem to. Again, I know this may not be a popular opinion so rip away.
compassrose
Ever been to Seattle? It is a great park. The team pays their lease plus they give extra some years to help maintain the park. They are also responsible for some of the maintenance. The teams got a tv bonus I believe it was last winter or The year before. Seattle gave the money to the park to help upgrade and maintain it.
The park looks almost new still. The view is the sunset over the Olympic Mt range and the bay plus you can see the taller buildings over the OF bleachers of the Seattle skyline.
I have been to Petco found it really odd. Why go to a game and have a picnic in the grass and not be able to see the game? The field like we all know is huge. Was at old Tiger std when a kid but that doesn’t matter anymore. My seat was right behind a column. I can’t rate to other stadiums because I haven’t been to enough. I just hear what other players and broadcasters say about the stadium. Pretty shortsighted to rank stadiums of you haven’t been to all or at least most. I could rate T Mobile Petco and old Tiger stadium. That rating doesn’t mean much because I have only seen this stadiums.
TeeBallChampion
MLB should not give permission. These owners are scumbags.
crazylarry
I have been a D-Backs fan 10 years. Wanna move? See ya. Don’t worry about me going to another game.
Koamalu
They won’t. Considering all the empty seats most night you probably didn’t anyway. moving out to the east side will put them closer to the corporate interests and most of the population growth in Phoenix.
If you really were a fan that attended games there regularly, you would know that Chase Field had turned into a joke in the past few years. The Diamondbacks have tried to make repairs and do maintenance this season after they got a new agreement last June, but with a $200 million backlog of repairs and maintenance, the park is still pretty ratty even now.
Bochys Retirement Fund
The Marlins are crying right now.
R.D.
Why would the D’backs move? Do they have low attendance? i thought they were a pretty successful franchise.
Why wouldn’t these Nevada folks reach out to the A’s or Rays??
Donkatsu
The most attended Diamondbacks games are the ones were they play the Dodgers. People who couldn’t afford to live in CA move to AZ. It’s their only option for watching Dodger games…
The Angels are a different story, their attendance is decent because fans of other teams go there to watch their favorite team play against the Angels.
Koamalu
When the stadium was built the team agreed to pay rent and gave up the right to hold other events in the stadium in exchange for the Maricopa County Stadium District paying for maintenance and repairs on the stadium. The team was not even allowed to do any of the maintenance or repairs themselves. When the expected development around the stadium didn’t happen, the Stadium District went bankrupt within just a few years and did not pay for any of those repairs or maintenance issues. Those deferred issues mounted up. The Diamondbacks had to sue to even get the right to pay for the $200 million backlog in repairs and maintenance themselves. It was a bad situation. The ballpark looked ratty, the roof sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t, the AC is spotty and sometimes the folks in the upper deck roast and sometimes they freeze, plumbing backups are common. Lots and lots of problems the average fan that attends one game every couple of years would not notice.
angelsfan1522
Do it is love to go to Vegas to see a game but I could see fans getting pissed.id much rather see two expansions Vegas and Nashville
angelsinthetroutfield
This is AWESOME news! Obviously it’s not a pending move but even a tidbit like this one gives hope to possible expansion/relocation to the LV area. Henderson would be a pretty sweet community/location for a team as its 20-min off the strip yet removed enough to be highlight the other side of Vegas. There’s plenty of potential stadium sites available.and a strong baseball presence in the area. Better yet the Diamondback front office is full of smart and capable folks who are proving adept at building a successful team and creating a healthy organization.
I’m stoked if this happens
AZPat
Your name’s not Debra March is it?
angelsinthetroutfield
My friends call me Debbie
jsay2948
As a Phoenix-area resident:
1. Phoenix is a city of transplants. Most of us who have the means to support a sports team regularly moved there from somewhere else and our loyalties lie elsewhere.
2. I am not a Chicago transplant, but it IS true that Phoenix is Cubs country. They’re everywhere.
3. Yes, Chase Field isn’t a bad stadium. It’s much better with the roof open, but unfortunately it gets too hot for that by mid-April now, and stays that way through the end of the season.
4. Despite it being downtown, downtown Phoenix is not the population center of Phoenix. It is a suburbs city, and downtown is mostly the business and corporate center. The Suns are right next door and have the same issues, even when they’re successful.
5. Moving to Scottsdale or Tempe would increase attendance for sure.
6. Baseball shouldn’t leave Arizona, it just needs to leave downtown Phoenix. It doesn’t make any sense that the city which is home to so many spring training facilities and so many baseball lovers wouldn’t have a team (especially considering it’s the 5th largest metro area in America). The demands for a new stadium may seem ridiculous, but they’re not.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
It’s more PHR and you might not know, but…what’s up with the Coyotes? I know the “Glendale is a bad spot for them” angle. Didn’t they have a deal for a new arena fall though a year or two ago?
Heard talk that they could be moved to Houston at some point.
mpguy
The Coyotes want to move to the Tempe/Scottsdale area. Why don’t the D-Backs and the Coyotes work together to build a sports complex with a stadium, arena, and shared parking? They can work cooperatively on developing the area around that complex, which would make it more financially feasible.
azliam
No reason to have a stadium in Scottsdale/Tempe. Downtown Phoenix is still the center of the valley and isn’t just businesses and corporate centers anymore. People are moving there. Furthermore, while the city of Phoenix is 5th largest, the metro isn’t.. It’s the 11th largest MSA in the US.
VegasSDfan
Yes come to Nevada we will embrace you!!!
joester12
Chase field is fine there’s other teams that need a new stadium or upgrade
VegasSDfan
Nope they should leave for Nevada right now.
joester12
No Nevada it would sound awful
ASapsFables
The Henderson Harpers. Bryce will waive his no-trade clause and buy into his hometown team including the stadium naming rights. Kris Bryant will join him in 2022 with his dog Wrigley becoming the team mascot. You heard it hear first!
manuscr1pt
Putting sports teams in Vegas is awful for the environment. Go to Montreal or Portland or something.
coupofthecentury
Pac Bell Park, Enron Field, Comerica all opened in 2000 and those franchises ain’t looking for a new home. Bank One opened 2 years before.
City of Phoenix: Nah bro, you ain’t getting anything.
dirtbagfreitas
I would love to see them come to Portland. Such a far fetched dream considering there is no stadium but damn if I wouldn’t love that dream to come true.
mrmaster1
Lmfao! A 21 year old stadium is no good now? I guarantee they want a new one with many more luxury boxes as they bring in much more cash than sections of seats. It’s simply greed. Teams are absolutely awash in cash already from huge TV deals and grossly overpriced merchandise. In fact, they would still be operating at a profit with a half filled stadium. Sports are no longer about the fans, they’re simply cash printing machines..
Koamalu
If you were unable to do any repairs or maintenance on the house you rented and the owners refused to do them for 2o years, how would it look? Would it be a good place to live? That is the situation the Diamondbacks were in until they sued the Maricopa County Stadium District and won last year.
8791Slegna
D’backs probably want a new park because the Dodgers celebrated in the pool after winning a division championship.
socalblake
If that were to happen then LA definitely needs a high speed rail straight to Vegas. That 15 is already dreadful but having two more pro teams there (Raiders and Dbacks) would bring the 15 to a standstill. I say this because LA fans travel for their teams.
ForestCobraAL
“The Henderson zip code 89012 where __MacDonald Highlands__ is located, has the 7th highest per-capita income in the United States at $148,899.”
$15,000 per year season tickets!
camdenyards46
32k is really small