New Baseball Stadium in Marana? (Phoenix, Tucson: 2009, condo, hotels)

[Spot]

Okay seriously, I'm not a big baseball guy, but I read an article in the Daily Star today discussing the proposal to build the new spring training facility out off Tangerine Road in Marana. Really?

Didn't Tucson learn anything the last time they screwed this up? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to build it downtown so that people will have a reason to go there on the weekends? They keep talking about "urban revitalization" in Tucson and then they keep doing things like this. They want to build a mockup of a Spanish Mission downtown and charge admissions fees to go into it but not the baseball stadium! Who in their right mind is going to pay to go into a fake Spanish Mission more than one time?! Especially when you consider we have San Xavier right down the road!

It's frustrating beyond words to watch the Tucson/Pima County governments in action! How stupid are the people running this place?

[TMG01]

This is an old post that seems to have received little attention. It is however spot on.
A baseball park downtown, even with the poor attendance that we have given then teams here in the past would drive sizable business downtown and jump start the fledging Rio Nuevo project. C'mon guys, lets get it right this time!

[Chorizo]

Originally Posted by Spot

Okay seriously, I'm not a big baseball guy, but I read an article in the Daily Star today discussing the proposal to build the new spring training facility out off Tangerine Road in Marana. Really?

Didn't Tucson learn anything the last time they screwed this up? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to build it downtown so that people will have a reason to go there on the weekends? They keep talking about "urban revitalization" in Tucson and then they keep doing things like this. They want to build a mockup of a Spanish Mission downtown and charge admissions fees to go into it but not the baseball stadium! Who in their right mind is going to pay to go into a fake Spanish Mission more than one time?! Especially when you consider we have San Xavier right down the road!

It's frustrating beyond words to watch the Tucson/Pima County governments in action! How stupid are the people running this place?

See the part I bolded. That is key. Tucson screwed it up.

It is no secret that Marana is a friendlier town to business and development.

Thats why my company, when we had our own building built, moved from Tucson and had to built in Marana.

If they go ahead with this - Marana will make it work and it will be huge for the town.

[Joey Saint]

Excuse me I'm from out of town and maybe misinformed but didn't the White Sox and Rockies leave the area? Wouldn't that leave two ballparks empty in Tucson?

[Chorizo]

Originally Posted by Joey Saint

Excuse me I'm from out of town and maybe misinformed but didn't the White Sox and Rockies leave the area? Wouldn't that leave two ballparks empty in Tucson?

I stopped paying attention to Baseball a long time ago.. But to my knowledge the Rockies have been gone for quite a while, with the Sox just recently leaving.

The Diamondbacks have not left, yet.

They all played at TEP as far as I know.

High Corbett field went unused for sometime I believe. I think the Tucson Sidewinders then started playing there. And now the Tucson Toros are back at High Corbett.

I may be completely wrong though - except for the Toros part.

[Marcy1210]

The White Sox left TEP this year. The Rockies have one more year on their contract at Hi-Corbett and the D'Backs two at TEP, but both teams want out because of decrepit faciliies and the travelling between Tucson and Phoenix where most of the teams are located. Hi-Corbett is looking to keep the Toros, bring in Japanese Spring Training and Tucson was trying to lure the Orioles. But, it is too little, too late. So many people from Colorado and Illinois came to Tucson and now they'll go to Phoenix. Tucson made a HUGE blunder years ago when they didn't upgrade their facilities to keep the teams they had, and build a bigger stadium to lure more Phoenix teams here when their stadium contracts ran out. This is one of the most mis-managed towns I've ever seen. They wait until the barn door hits them in the butt before they realize they screwed up.

[BillyBaroo]

Originally Posted by Marcy1210

So many people from Colorado and Illinois came to Tucson and now they'll go to Phoenix.

A friend of mine has been coming down from Boulder every spring to see the Rockies. He brings his whole family and rents a vacation home for a week. This will be his last year, he'll be staying in Phoenix when the Rockies move up there.

I'll probably go see a few games up there too. With going to football games and other stuff, I might be driving to Phoenix more than I drive into Tucson. I'm definitely doing more business in Marana than I am in Tucson.

I think the problem started when Grivalva convinced people to build the new stadium on the south side, in the middle of nothing, instead of maybe downtown. It would be neat if downtown had some kind of entertainment district. I wish they would build an IMAX theatre down there, I'd go to a lot of movies if they did.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by BillyBaroo

I'll probably go see a few games up there too. With going to football games and other stuff, I might be driving to Phoenix more than I drive into Tucson.

Understandable... unfortunately... Heck, once the messes on I-10 get done I'd probably go more often, too.

I think the problem started when Grivalva convinced people to build the new stadium on the south side, in the middle of nothing, instead of maybe downtown. It would be neat if downtown had some kind of entertainment district. I wish they would build an IMAX theatre down there, I'd go to a lot of movies if they did.

Excuse my sports ignorance, but are you talking about the Electric Park? I hate going to this part of town for any reason.

On the bright side, supposedly the underpass connecting 4th Ave and Congress will open around August 20th.

[Marcy1210]

We specifically bought this condo to be able to offset hotels, food, recreation (other than the Rockies) just for Spring Training. Our goal was to be here November to April and back at our home in Colorado the rest of the year. Now that the Rockies are going to Phoenix (presumably), we will not be buying as many games as we did, and we're thinking of just selling the condo here and going back to Colorado for good, and just making a two week vacation of Spring Training. I think Phoenix is a big sprawl of nothingness, so we won't relocate there. I think Tucson just lost a homeowner. And another one, as we have friends who also moved completely to Sahurita (sp) and they're fit to be tied as to what to do with their season tickets as they don't want to drive to Phoenix every game. I wonder why the Sports Authority doesn't see that this decision to let the teams go affects people, not just coffers?

[actinic]

Originally Posted by Marcy1210

We specifically bought this condo to be able to offset hotels, food, recreation (other than the Rockies) just for Spring Training. Our goal was to be here November to April and back at our home in Colorado the rest of the year. Now that the Rockies are going to Phoenix (presumably), we will not be buying as many games as we did, and we're thinking of just selling the condo here and going back to Colorado for good, and just making a two week vacation of Spring Training. I think Phoenix is a big sprawl of nothingness, so we won't relocate there. I think Tucson just lost a homeowner. And another one, as we have friends who also moved completely to Sahurita (sp) and they're fit to be tied as to what to do with their season tickets as they don't want to drive to Phoenix every game. I wonder why the Sports Authority doesn't see that this decision to let the teams go affects people, not just coffers?

Say goodbye to spring training in Tucson.

http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/06/19/rockies-leaving-tucson/

Hope you sell at the price you're asking.