With a key vote coming Wednesday, area residents have offered their opinions on a proposed deal between Maricopa County and the Arizona Diamondbacks over Chase Field.
The D-Backs had sued Maricopa County over the condition of Chase Field, arguing that the county had deferred maintenance to the facility in violation of their lease. In response to the lawsuit, the county and the team entered court-mandated mediation and agreed to a settlement where the Diamondbacks can begin the search for a replacement immediately. There are some conditions, but essentially the team is taking over Chase Field maintenance in exchange for the freedom to seek a new home, either in the Valley or elsewhere.
That proposed agreement will be considered on Wednesday by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Submitted public comments over the proposal were presented at a county meeting on Monday, with reactions running a fairly broad spectrum. While many favored the deal as a way to keep the D-Backs in Arizona, others comments expressed skepticism over the agreement. More from The Arizona Republic:
One comment reflecting the majority: “Please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please do whatever it takes to keep the DBacks in Arizona!!!”
Others submitted variations of the same, give or take a few “pleases” and exclamation points.
Others emailers were a bit more critical. One called the Major League Baseball team’s behavior that of “petulant children” that should not be rewarded. Another called for steeper penalties should the team choose to leave Maricopa County in the next five years….
If the Diamondbacks decide to leave Arizona after 2022, the team would have to pay penalties of between $5 million and $25 million, according to the terms of the settlement. If the team finds a location in Maricopa County, the team can leave Chase Field without penalty in 2022, five years earlier than the team’s current 30-year contract allows.
The Diamondbacks have played at Chase Field since its opening in 1998, and their current lease for the ballpark runs through 2027. If this proposed agreement with Maricopa County does go into effect, it would give the organization some options in planning its future. Time will tell how the D-Backs decide to handle their long-term facility situation, but their options may include a Chase Field renovation or the pursuit of a new ballpark.
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