Last year, the team dropped a lawsuit against Maricopa County in exchange for a lease opt-out in '22GETTY IMAGES
The D-backs want a ballpark that is "smaller than Chase Field to provide a more 'intimate' experience for fans," and would like it to be surrounded by a "major shopping and dining complex," according to Rebekah Sanders of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The club's "expression of interest" proposal is the first public glimpse of the D-backs' "priorities if it leaves or renovates the 21-year-old ballpark in downtown Phoenix." Last year, the D-backs "negotiated the option to leave" Chase Field early, as soon as the '22 season, in exchange for "ending a lawsuit against Maricopa County." The club shared a 67-page ballpark "wish list" with officials in Henderson, Nev., last year as they scouted possible locations. A D-backs official said that the club is "not currently considering proposals from Henderson or other non-Arizona groups." The official added that "several groups within Maricopa County remain in the running." The D-backs' wish list "points to modern" venues such as the Braves' SunTrust Park, the Rangers' Globe Life Field and the Oilers' Rogers Place as "inspiration." Each of those projects "incorporates a compact sports venue into a sprawling development for shopping, dining, hotels and offices." The wish list includes a 36,000-42,000-seat ballpark on at least 20 acres, a retractable roof and "ample parking," a 5,000-seat concert hall and club control over naming rights (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/13).
