Diamondbacks looking to leave Chase Field citing lack of funds for Stadium Improvement due from Maricopa County (Phoenix: maintenance, floor)

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Disagree, smoking deal with the tribe, Casino-Resort, Aquarium, Top Golf, Butterfly Museum, Spring Training, Hockey, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Next to Maricopa Counties wealthiest in North Central Phoenix, Paradise Valley and Scottsdale? Their only concern will be traffic on the 101.

That is a proposition that Downtown Phoenix has to compete with or else face some issues moving forward.

Building it at Talking Stick goes against all modern urban planning trends, which indicate that event centers such as arenas and ballparks should be built in downtown areas.

It would be a major shame and urban planning disaster to move the Diamondbacks and Suns away from downtown (and the light rail / convention center / restaurants / bars) to Talking Stick where the only access is an overburdened freeway.

However, Arizona never ceases to amaze me with the stupidity of "planning" so I'm sure that the Diamondbacks and Suns will move to Talking Stick.

Bank One Ballpark/Chase Field is a whopping 18 years old and America West Arena/US Airways Center/Talking Stick Resort Arena is only 24 years old. Both facilities should serve for at least 30 years (which is what the Diamondbacks lease is for).

Also, both the Diamondbacks and Suns can threaten to relocate out of Arizona. The Diamondbacks have Las Vegas and Portland to threaten to relocate to and the Suns have San Diego, Orange County, and Seattle. The chance of either team actually relocating is close to 0 but they can threaten it to make local/state officials cough up the money.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

Building it at Talking Stick goes against all modern urban planning trends, which indicate that event centers such as arenas and ballparks should be built in downtown areas.

It would be a major shame and urban planning disaster to move the Diamondbacks and Suns away from downtown (and the light rail / convention center / restaurants / bars) to Talking Stick where the only access is an overburdened freeway.

However, Arizona never ceases to amaze me with the stupidity of "planning" so I'm sure that the Diamondbacks and Suns will move to Talking Stick.

150% agree, but common sense has never worked in Arizona.

It's a crisis that Mayor Stanton will have the "luxury" of trying to figure out. It would directly cut against any and all Downtown improvement in the last 10 years.

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

150% agree, but common sense has never worked in Arizona.

It's a crisis that Mayor Stanton will have the "luxury" of trying to figure out. It would directly cut against any and all Downtown improvement in the last 10 years.

Phoenix and Maricopa County at this point are better off letting the Diamondbacks and Suns leave to Talking Stick.

In 20 years (or less) when they have a situation at Talking Stick that replicates the Coyotes situation at Westgate (and don't you dare tell me that 81 baseball games and 41 basketball games in north central Scottsdale won't have attendance problems) and the Diamondbacks and Suns beg to come back downtown, the city and county will have the upper hand.

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by cjseliga

I'm not disagreeing, but the Cubs are doing a 4-year, $575 million renovation to Wrigley Field.

Wrigley Field renovations

Wrigley is 102 years old.

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

Building it at Talking Stick goes against all modern urban planning trends, which indicate that event centers such as arenas and ballparks should be built in downtown areas.

It would be a major shame and urban planning disaster to move the Diamondbacks and Suns away from downtown (and the light rail / convention center / restaurants / bars) to Talking Stick where the only access is an overburdened freeway.

However, Arizona never ceases to amaze me with the stupidity of "planning" so I'm sure that the Diamondbacks and Suns will move to Talking Stick.

Bank One Ballpark/Chase Field is a whopping 18 years old and America West Arena/US Airways Center/Talking Stick Resort Arena is only 24 years old. Both facilities should serve for at least 30 years (which is what the Diamondbacks lease is for).

Also, both the Diamondbacks and Suns can threaten to relocate out of Arizona. The Diamondbacks have Las Vegas and Portland to threaten to relocate to and the Suns have San Diego, Orange County, and Seattle. The chance of either team actually relocating is close to 0 but they can threaten it to make local/state officials cough up the money.

Let them walk as both teams sell an inferior product.

I won't drive to Talking Stick for the D Backs or Suns. Not worth the headache and attendance figures will plummet to probably near the league worst (after the initial newness wears off)

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by ibarrio

Let them walk as both teams sell an inferior product.

I won't drive to Talking Stick for the D Backs or Suns. Not worth the headache and attendance figures will plummet to probably near the league worst (after the initial newness wears off)

Of course attendance will plummet. They'll essentially be in the same position in a few years at Talking Stick as the Coyotes have been in Glendale.

Can you imagine going through the horrible traffic on the 101 to get to a 6:40 p.m. night game?

At least when the games are downtown, most of the traffic is going the opposite direction. Not the case at Talking Stick.

[Valley Native]

Absolutely ridiculous! Chase Field is still a state of the art facility ... much more so than many of the sports stadiums in other cities which still do a fine job hosting their teams. Will renovations be necessary? Sure they will, but to demand more money from the county or threaten to leave is purely arrogant & selfish. If and when improvements are needed, then the team should be willing to spend a little bit of their $840 million, and the NL could also chip in a little bit of their billions.

[sh9730]

I like Chase - and I think this is just a ploy - besides they really have no choice - to prove the facility is not "state of the art" will require a long protracted court battle and only shave off a few years from their lease obligation now.

HOWEVER, the DREAMER in me thinks that putting it central between the two population centers of PHX and Tucson someday would make sense since I think it will be a long time before Tucson ever has its own MLB franchise. The Dbacks already try to market to Tucson folks, but that is a long day when you go 2 hours each way and a 3 hour game plus parking time etc.

However, some of the people who are now only 20 minutes away may not make the drive to CG or somewhere on the GRIC.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by sh9730

I like Chase - and I think this is just a ploy - besides they really have no choice - to prove the facility is not "state of the art" will require a long protracted court battle and only shave off a few years from their lease obligation now.

HOWEVER, the DREAMER in me thinks that putting it central between the two population centers of PHX and Tucson someday would make sense since I think it will be a long time before Tucson ever has its own MLB franchise. The Dbacks already try to market to Tucson folks, but that is a long day when you go 2 hours each way and a 3 hour game plus parking time etc.

However, some of the people who are now only 20 minutes away may not make the drive to CG or somewhere on the GRIC.

I try to use my vetoes pragmatically so I veto this with prejudice

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by ibarrio

Wrigley is 102 years old.

I know how old Wrigley is and Fenway is turning 104 in a month, both are national treasures!

I wish stadiums/arenas/ballparks built today would last as long as those venues, it's just not the case.