Maricopa County (Ariz.) on Friday asked a local court to dismiss a lawsuit from the D-backs "seeking permission for the team to leave Chase Field if the county doesn't fund tens of millions of dollars in stadium repairs," according to Rebekah Sanders of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Maricopa County Superior Court was asked to "instead send the matter to out-of-court arbitration." D-backs attorney Leo Beus on Friday said that the team "sought a solution with the county for nearly four years without success." The county argues that its lease with the team "stipulates stadium operation, maintenance, and repairs are the team's responsibility unless a repair meets a specific definition of a 'capital repair,' and that the county's procedures ensure the stadium will remain 'safe, functional and compliant' with the lease's standards." But the D-backs' lawsuit states that the ballpark "will become unsafe if the county does not invest more." The team also claims that the conflict has "escalated beyond the lease's requirements to seek arbitration." The county "disputes that interpretation, noting a court fight would be more expensive" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/11).
