Why the economics of spring training leads cities to strike deals with Major League Baseball clubs: Peoria (Az.) Sports Complex tallied $5.2 million in revenue this past spring.
Peoria Stadium is the spring home of the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, so it’s busy virtually every day of spring training. In a report made to the Peoria City Council, facilities manager Chris Calcaterra reported on the revenue total, while also noting the nonprofit Peoria Diamond Club also raised $216,000. Attendance was actually down a little, but other sources of revenue — like concessions and parking — were up. All in all, spring training has a $37 million impact on the city, with two-thirds of that coming from tourists.
No surprise, then, that Peoria agreed to spend $48 million in facility improvements to keep the pair in town through 2034.
RELATED STORIES: Peoria to spend $48 million on spring-training complex; Seattle, San Diego extend Peoria Stadium lease
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