2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (FOX 10 Staff)
A bill to fund repairs at Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, continues to move forward in the state legislature, despite strong objections from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. FOX 10's Irene Snyder reports. House Bill 2704 would fund renovations to Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A modified version of the bill was passed by an Arizona Senate committee. The D-backs say renovations to Chase Field would cost between $400-500 million. PHOENIX - A bill to fund repairs at Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, continues to move forward in the state legislature, despite strong objections from the mayor of Phoenix.
An Arizona Senate committee advanced a modified version of House Bill 2704 on March 24. The bill would set a cap on public contributions at $500 million, increase Maricopa County's contributions to match the city's share, remove the diversion of income tax to the stadium district and make it so the D-backs could move the team shop outside the stadium, but still have it considered to be part of the ballpark's footprint. What they're saying: Even with the changes to the bill, Mayor Kate Gallego says the bill is not fiscally responsible.
"This bill will cost Arizona taxpayers $1 billion, even as amended, and the D-backs won’t be paying half. In fact, they’re not required to pay a single dollar, and that, my friends, is a boondoggle," said Gallego . The D-backs say the stadium, which has been the team's home since 1998, desperately needs repairs and renovations.
"The stadium is in dire need of improvement and repair. We need a new scoreboard, the roof needs fixing, then there are the critical repairs nobody sees: the plumbing, the pipes and the other infrastructure fixes," former D-backs player Luis Gonzales said. What's next: The finance committee narrowly passed the bill in a 4-3 vote.
It now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee before going to the full Senate. The measure would then have to go back to the House to be voted on with the amendment. Dig deeper: The D-backs' current lease on Chase Field runs through the 2027 season.
The team claims renovations would cost between $400-500 million. Information for this story was gathered from a copy of House Bill 2704 posted on the Arizona Legislature's website and a public hearing held on March 24, 2025..
