The $50.6M first phase of renovations will begin in April and wrap up by the start of Spring Training in '20GETTY IMAGES
Shortly after the Giants wrap up Spring Training in Scottsdale, the city "will begin renovations on its ballpark after years of discussion about updating" the aging venue, according to Lorraine Longhi of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The Scottsdale City Council "approved the first phase of the work Tuesday as the city continues to hammer out the details of a long-term lease" with the Giants and the civic group Scottsdale Charros, which operates the ballpark. The first phase of renovations is estimated at $50.6M, with the team and Charros "kicking in a portion of the costs." Work will "begin in April and wrap up by the start" of Spring Training in '20. City officials "plan to modernize the ballpark and increase its usability for events beyond baseball." Renovations "will be done in two phases." The first will include a "new clubhouse that will have an events center that operates throughout the year," plus additional "shaded areas for the right field Charros Lodge area." There will also be upgrades to the main entrance, an "expanded press box" and "renovations to the right field concourse to include standing room and bleachers." The city "hopes to have plans and costs for phase two" finalized by July. Scottsdale will pay as much as $35M for phase one, and it will "pay back its borrowing with bed-tax collections" (AZCENTRAL.com, 3/20).
