Brewers Maryvale Spring Training Lease

[balsamlaker]

If Arizona is the Brewers overwhelming preference, Tucson may be the best option if they (Tucson) can secure AAA baseball again. Victory Field in Indianapolis was probably the last nice AAA home stadium they were in. When the PDCs come around for re-upping, Tucson may not be great but probably compares just fine to some of the options they may be looking at (Tacoma, Syracuse, Las Vegas, Norfolk, Fresno, etc.). Tucson also seems to have one thing many of these other locations don't seem to have...an interest in the Brewers.

[wildcat2237]

The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson Paper) ran a follow up on efforts to land the Brewers. The author believes a new stadium will need to be built.

 

http://tucson.com/my-two-cents-tucson-must-have-drive-to-land-brewers/article_f444cc22-8ac3-11e7-9354-e36d67ab595e.html

[balsamlaker]

A quick five year recap:

 

2012 - Gila River and Scottsdale mentioned as new ballpark options

 

2013 - Dunedin mentioned and HoHoKam and Phoenix Muni agree with the A's and ASU to generation-long leases

 

2014 - Peoria, Gila River, and Fort McDowell mentioned and Sloan Park opens

 

2015 - Quinn states he has talked facilities for ten of his eleven years with the club

 

2016 - Attanasio states the team needs to be "moved in and operating" in a state-of-the-art complex in the "next few years"

 

2017 - Gilbert and Pima County mentioned

 

Options:

 

Building new - seems like public money has dried up so unless the Brewers or private funding comes through, it doesn't seem like an option.

 

Renovating - the options seem to be Maryvale, Tucson, or Florida. Other than Tucson there are not many options of unused stadiums still standing compared to Florida that has 7-8 that have been vacated in the last decade. Would Attanasio and company consider the Orlando area or even Dodgertown in Vero Beach?

[patrickgpe]

I would hope that the brewers do not hold out for a new stadium to move to Tuscon. I think the biggest thing should be to get out of Maryviale so if you get a slightly older facility that will meet all of your needs in a better neighborhood, you should take it. its a very tough sell in my opinion to convince tax payers to build a new facility for a team you have no connection to to play games there for a month.

 

Frankly i am surprised any city will take that deal without the MLB team, unless to lure diamondbacks or a one of the florida teams to florida, paying a large portion of the stadium costs.

[Warning Track Power]

I think my surprise really comes from Gila River or any Native American reservation proposal dying. As someone who doesn't frequent casinos, I would think the draw of an MLB team would only increase attendance at casinos during those games much like attending Talking Stick when I saw the Brewers play the Rockies. I am sure the numbers have been run and they don't pencil out, but my mind just assumes it would be a good move by a tribe.

[balsamlaker]

Maybe the Gilbert proposal is not that far fetched. It sounds like the Braves are chipping in $55.5 million for their new spring training home.

[balsamlaker]

Anyone have a prediction when something will happen regarding the Brewers spring training home? Bob Quinn (I think) mentioned they have been talking about spring training changes for the last decade and there are about a dozen teams that have changed homes since 2009. Some options:

 

Maryvale Renovations - hard to think if this was going to happen that it isn't already done

Building a New Stadium in Arizona (Gilbert?)

Getting involved with a renovation in Dunedin if Blue Jay lease expires at the end of the year

Moving into City of Palms Park in Fort Myers (would college lease be an issue)

Convincing the Mets and Port St. Lucie into making First Data Field a two-team complex

Building a New Stadium in Florida (Naples or Boca Raton?)

 

I did not include Tucson options or Orlando-area options because of the distance of travel not only for spring training, but also rookie-league games.

[DHonks]

I did not include Tucson options or Orlando-area options because of the distance of travel not only for spring training, but also rookie-league games.

 

 

That doesn't make sense. Tucson is 2-2.5 hours away from the Phoenix locations. That's longer than most Florida trips

[brewmann04]

I am still not sure the Crew is going to move to Florida

[balsamlaker]

DHonks, that is why I did not include Tucson as an option. The Orlando-area is also not a great option travel-wise especially for rookie ball as there is only one team left within 70 miles of Disney. Until the playoffs gulf coast league teams only play the 3-4 teams closest to their site, so that travel outside of Central Florida is not horrible.

[Warning Track Power]

This is totally going off the lack of news surrounding the future long term home of the Brewers Spring Training

 

I have to imagine the lack of a clear path as to where the Brewers will be playing their future spring training games is beginning to get annoying to the front office. First it was Peoria, then Gila River, then Gilbert, then Tucson...then potentially Florida. While only a month in the beginning of the season for the MLB club, the unsettled nature of where the minor league operation will be in the future has to cause some consternation.

 

OR

 

Perhaps it's just me that would like some clarity on the subject. Please stay in Arizona.

[wildcat2237]

This is totally going off the lack of news surrounding the future long term home of the Brewers Spring Training

 

I have to imagine the lack of a clear path as to where the Brewers will be playing their future spring training games is beginning to get annoying to the front office. First it was Peoria, then Gila River, then Gilbert, then Tucson...then potentially Florida. While only a month in the beginning of the season for the MLB club, the unsettled nature of where the minor league operation will be in the future has to cause some consternation.

 

OR

 

Perhaps it's just me that would like some clarity on the subject. Please stay in Arizona.

 

 

At Spring Training in 2016, Attanasio was interviewed about the facilities issue.

 

He made VERY clear that the Brewers wanted to get the issue taken care of and quick.

 

I doubt he would have made those comments if Spring Training facilities were not a primary concern for the front office.

 

Here is a link to the February 2016 interview: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/165468730/mark-attanasio-brewers-spring-training-home/

 

That was about 20 months ago. Based on the way he talked, I thought we would have had an announcement by March 2017.

 

I live out here in Arizona and don't have much to add except for the fact that I know a lady who works in facilities management for the City of Phoenix. She is not a higher up, but has enough knowledge to tell me that the City of Phoenix is no longer interested in the Spring Training business. They wont be sad if the Brewers leave. The Maryvale Stadium would likely be gobbled up by a re-developer and turned into high density apartments or housing.

[brewmann04]

I thought the ball park there was not in a nice location or at least not nice location to get to the ballpark.

[wildcat2237]

I thought the ball park there was not in a nice location or at least not nice location to get to the ballpark.

 

The ballpark is in a crappy part of town. However, it is in central Phoenix where land is at a premium.

 

I dont think luxury homes will be built in Maryvale anytime soon, however, condos and apartments do make a lot of sense for lower income folks.

[balsamlaker]

Maybe the total "lack of news" is the Brewers just keeping an eye on the Blue Jays and Dunedin to see if they reach an agreement by the end of 2017. Until that lease is signed it will likely always be a possibility with the Brewers' VP of Baseball Projects having spent about two decades worth of springs in Dunedin.

[wildcat2237]

Maybe the total "lack of news" is the Brewers just keeping an eye on the Blue Jays and Dunedin to see if they reach an agreement by the end of 2017. Until that lease is signed it will likely always be a possibility with the Brewers' VP of Baseball Projects having spent about two decades worth of springs in Dunedin.

 

I fully expect the Brewers to head to Florida at this point.

 

It seems they have exhausted about every option in Arizona.

[balsamlaker]

Wildcat...unless there is still the possibility of a Gilbert deal. The interesting part, to me at least, regarding the proposal mentioned in the Pollack study is it has the team build the park and the city pays to use it. This seems the opposite of what most arrangements are for spring training homes. I would be interested to hear if jvrocksaz has heard anything new in AZ or if all seems quiet. Have any other proposals (connected to the Brewers) over the last decade gotten as far as to see a site plan like the Pollack study has?

[jvrocksaz]

Staying in Maryvale... http://mlb.com/r/article?ymd=20171109&content_id=261155314&vkey=news_mil&c_id=mil

[wildcat2237]

The Phoenix City Counsel has approved the deal.

 

https://brewers.mlblogs.com/maryvale-baseball-park-renovation-plan-approved-by-phoenix-city-council-1997a5589a1

[lcbj68c]

The Brewers are pouring money into Maryvale. Just Wonderful. :Eyeroll:

[Warning Track Power]

I hope in 2042 when I am 60, I will have a different opinion of this deal then I do today.

[rcc]

The Phoenix City Counsel has approved the deal.

 

https://brewers.mlblogs.com/maryvale-baseball-park-renovation-plan-approved-by-phoenix-city-council-1997a5589a1

 

Of course they approved it. They are very lucky the Brewers were willing to give them such a deal.