The D'Backs' "impact on downtown business has been a
big hit" in their inaugural season, according to Peter
Corbett of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. A report by Phoenix's
Finance Department shows that fans lured to Bank One
Ballpark have helped contribute a 34.1% increase in the
city's sales tax revenues in the downtown area for the first
six months of this year, compared with the same period in
'97. Retail sales through June 30 in the downtown core were
up 93.8% over the same six-month period in '97. Downtown
Phoenix Partnership Exec Dir Margaret Mullen, comparing the
D'Backs to new ballparks in Denver and Baltimore: "When we
started planning for the stadium in 1993, we felt that if we
got half the impact of the other cities, we'd be happy. Now
it appears we're going to exceed both." Restaurants and
bars downtown have seen their food and beverage tabs
"balloon" from $40.3M to $52.4M through June 30, a 30% jump
from the year-ago period. Hotels and motels in the one-
square-mile area have shown a 6.6% increase, compared with a
4.3% increase citywide. The time frame of the sales-tax
report includes the first three months of the MLB season and
37 of the D'Backs' 81 home games (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/13).
