Arizona’s Senate committee approved a revised House Bill 2704 on Monday, setting public funding for Chase Field repairs at $500 million. The bill increases Maricopa County’s contribution to match the city’s, removes income tax redirection to the stadium district, and allows the Diamondbacks to relocate their team shop while keeping it within the venue’s footprint.
Rep. Jeff Weninger, one of the bill's sponsors, stated that the funds would be dedicated to stadium improvements, saying, "This is only taking the sales tax money that's collected inside the stadium, if you go to a game, and repurpose that to improve that stadium," according to Fox10 Phoenix. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego argues against the bill's fiscal prudence, stating, "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."
The ballclub insists that Chase Field, their home since 1998, is in dire shape. "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 and senior advisor to the President & CEO, Luis Gonzalez, told Fox10 Phoenix. Gonzalez emphasized the team's desire to stay put: "Obviously, there are other states that want teams and this is our team, our hometown team. We don't want to go anywhere. We want to be here in the state of Arizona. The Diamondbacks are Arizona."
After a 4-3 vote in the finance committee, House Bill 2704 moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee before a possible vote on the Senate floor. If passed, it would return to the House for consideration of amendments. Mayor Gallego has called a stakeholder meeting to discuss funding options for Chase Field renovations, estimated to cost $400-500 million, as the stadium's lease expires in 2027. The funding proposal remains a point of debate among legislators, city officials, and taxpayers. Fan Lauren Lundbeck commented, "I think it could be divided up pretty differently, it could go to different places, but I think supporting the Diamondbacks would be good for the city," as mentioned by AZ Family.
