By Amanda Lombard.
Chase Field’s Catch-22: Necessary Repairs, Public Funding, and an Expiring Lease
Sitting at the heart of downtown Phoenix is Chase Field, home of the city’s Major League Baseball franchise, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally named Bank One Ballpark, Chase Field opened in 1998 and was the first stadium to have a retractable roof and a natural grass field.
Now, 27 years later, Chase Field needs significant repairs. Diamondbacks CEO, Derrick Hall, projects that the stadium needs half a billion dollars worth of repairs. Chief among these repairs is fixing the retractable roof. In April 2022, the team discovered an issue with the pulley system responsible for opening and closing the stadium’s retractable roof. As a result, the roof remained completely immobile during two seasons of games to prevent any potential injury to fans from snapping or falling cables.
While the roof will likely be operational for the Diamondbacks’ upcoming home opener, the roof is not the only stadium repair needed. Another major concern is the stadium’s cooling system. Over the last few seasons, the stadium received countless complaints from fans about how hot the stadium was, even when the roof was closed. Hall attributes the heat to a 26-year-old cooling system in need of repairs. Others suggest that the switch to artificial turf in 2019 is also to blame, as it retains more heat than natural grass. Regardless, fixing the stadium’s cooling system is likely the next major renovation on the docket.
How to complete repairs for Chase Field has been a matter of intense debate for years. Namely, the debate revolves around who is responsible for funding the stadium’s renovations. Chase Field is owned by the Maricopa County Stadium District. This Maricopa County government body functions as a landlord for Chase Field and historically bore the responsibility of its upkeep. However, as a result of a lawsuit settlement in 2018, the Diamondbacks became the facility manager of the stadium and assumed responsibility for the repair and maintenance of Chase Field.
Despite the greater responsibility placed on the Diamondbacks, the maintenance and repairs of Chase Field remain a defining issue in the current lease negotiations between the Diamondbacks and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The Diamondbacks’ current stadium lease expires in 2027. Diamondbacks owner, Ken Kendrick, worries the team may have to leave Phoenix if they don’t receive public funding for stadium repairs. As a result, lease extensions to keep the Diamondbacks in downtown Phoenix are conditioned on whether public funding is available for stadium renovations.
Arizona House Bill 2704 (HB 2704)
Introduced in the Arizona House of Representatives on January 29, 2025, HB 2704 aims to provide a solution to keep the Diamondbacks in Arizona. The main purpose of the bill is to institute a tax recapture mechanism, which returns a portion of all income and sales taxes generated from Chase Field to the team. The return of 5% of state sales tax is estimated to generate between 15 and 20 million dollars annually. The money would then be transferred into a fund dedicated to Chase Field repairs and maintenance.
However, HB 2704 includes more than just tax recapture. Notably, the bill includes a clawback provision to incentivize the D-Backs to stay in Arizona until at least 2050. In the case that the Diamondbacks leave Arizona, the clawback provision institutes hefty fines and transfers all money left in the repair fund back to the state.
Support for HB 2704
The Arizona Diamondbacks vocally support HB 2704. With funding from tax revenues and team contributions of up to 300 million dollars, the team projects they can complete renovations in phases over the course of three to five years. Since the recuperated tax funding will allow the team to complete the necessary stadium renovations, it will likely alleviate the tension between the Diamondbacks and Maricopa County over lease negotiations.
The team also points out that this mechanism avoids new taxes, a major source of public concern with prior proposals. With this tax recapture mechanism, the Diamondbacks receive diversions from currently levied taxes to fund repairs Chase Field instead of burdening taxpayers with a new tax.
Other proponents focus on the economic benefits to Arizona. The bill sponsor, Representative Jeff Weninger, wants to preserve Chase Field as a “public asset” that generates revenue not only for downtown Phoenix but for the entire state. Chase Field generated 5.4 billion dollars of state revenue in 2022 and likely grossed more during the Diamondbacks’ miracle playoff run in 2023. Ultimately, the bipartisan supporters of HB 2704 recognize its significant economic impact on downtown Phoenix.
Most sources assert that HB 2704 also has the support of Arizona Governor, Katie Hobbs. Assuming the bill survives both houses of the Arizona Legislature, it will likely be signed into law by Governor Hobbs.
Opposition to HB 2704
The City of Phoenix and Maricopa County currently oppose the bill. The opposition focuses on the ensuing impacts on funding for public services. The money proposed to fund the D-backs’ repairs currently funds Phoenix police and fire departments and Maricopa County transportation and jails. However, Maricopa County may remain neutral on the bill if voter-approved tax funding is carved out of the proposal.
Another concern with this bill is the precedent it establishes. While HB 2704 mirrors the agreement the Arizona Cardinals football team has with State Farm Stadium in Glendale, the tax recapture proposal “sets the stage” for private companies to seek the diversion of public funds. With the budget and economic challenges faced throughout the state, there is understandable concern that granting a public subsidy for a hypothetical community benefit may not result in a positive use of taxpayer dollars.
The Future of HB 2704 and Keeping the Diamondbacks in Arizona
Arizona citizens and legislators have a tough decision to make. On one hand, HB 2704 presents an innovative mechanism to provide Chase Field with public funding, which keeps a major source of revenue and beloved team within the State of Arizona. On the other hand, the passage of HB 2704 results in the diversion of public funds to support a largely private enterprise.
That being said, the bill’s bipartisan support will more than likely push HB 2704 to the Governor’s desk. On February 11, 2025, HB 2704 passed the House Minority Caucus and House Majority Caucus. The bill will soon move to the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives. Assuming its passage, HB 2704 would then transition to the Senate for further deliberation.
Ultimately, the passage of HB 2704 may be the difference between losing another Arizona professional sports team over stadium disputes. While the team has no intention of leaving Arizona, it’s difficult to imagine how the Diamondbacks would repair Chase Field or relocate within Maricopa County without public funding. It begs the question: does Arizona really back the D-backs?
Amanda Lombard is a 2L Staff Writer for the Arizona State Law Journal. Amanda is a born and raised Phoenician and attended Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University. She is interested in pursuing a litigation career and looks forward to staying in the Valley for years to come. In her free time, Amanda enjoys going on nightly walks, trying new coffee shops, and playing with her two cats, Benny and Frankie.