Even if the Rockies last week had not reached a deal to keep baseball at Coors Field for three more decades, Owner Dick Monfort said that he was "not interested in moving the team" or the ballpark, according to Nick Groke of the DENVER POST. However, Monfort knew that he "needed to figure out a way to pay for upkeep." Monfort: “We could have gone through three five-year deals and let the park deteriorate knowing that in 15 years we may be out or relocate. But we wanted to stay where we’re at.” Groke noted Coors Field is publicly owned, but the Rockies are "responsible for its survival." Monfort and his brother Charlie became primary owners of the Rockies in '05, and they "inherited the ballpark as it aged." But Monfort said that the club has "immediate plans for improvements." The 10-year-old scoreboard above left field will be "replaced before next season." Monfort: “The software that runs that, we are so far behind everybody else, it’s a joke. We’re worried things will break down. We have a real concern.” Monfort said that he has "scouted several cities and how teams have expanded the stadium outside its gates, including St. Louis, where the Cardinals built a 'Ballpark Village' entertainment area next door to Busch Stadium." He also said that his first idea is to "build a hall of fame." The Rockies have a "large storage area at Coors Field for baseball memorabilia that is rarely seen, even by people who work for the club" (DENVER POST, 3/31).
