The grounds crew waters the Chase Field after the Colorado Rockies decided not to play their baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks are one small step from securing up to $500 million to help with renovations to the team’s downtown home Chase Field.
The Arizona House of Representatives voted to approve House Bill 2704 by a 35-20 margin on Monday. It would recapture sales taxes from the stadium and other adjacent buildings over the next 30 years and reinvest them into infrastructure at the retractable roof structure, which has been home to the D-backs since 1998 and is owned by the Maricopa County Stadium District.
The only remaining hurdle is for Gov. Katie Hobbs to sign the legistation, and she’s been publicly supportive of the bill.
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“I’m thrilled that the legislature has passed a bill that will keep the Diamondbacks in Phoenix and create good-paying jobs,” Hobbs said on social media Monday. “This is a huge win for every Arizonan. I appreciate the bipartisan elected officials and the business and labor leaders who came to the table and worked with my office to make this moment possible.”
The Diamondbacks say they will also contribute $250 million of the team’s money to help fund renovations. Team president Derrick Hall has said the nearly 30-year-old stadium needs several upgrades, most notably to its air conditioning system, which keeps the stadium cool during Phoenix’s brutally hot summer months.
The team’s current lease with the county expires in 2027.
“We are ecstatic over the legislative approval of HB2704,” Hall said in a statement. “This will be a monumental victory for baseball and Diamondbacks fans when signed by Governor Katie Hobbs. We could then shift our focus to a proper lease extension negotiation with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in hopes of modernizing and renovating this public asset to a level those fans deserve.”
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