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CACTUS LEAGUE
What Arizona municipalities have gained from, and spent on, spring training sites, according to their leases. Municipalities are listed in order of their net cost to operate the respective facilities last year. Lease provisions for city/county for spring training What the city/county got from spring training in 2011 City/county expense responsibilities during spring training  
Owner Stadium(Ballpark opening/renovations) Tenant(s): 2011 attendance (dates) Current lease for MLB team(s) started/ends Ticket revenue Concessions revenue Merchandise/novelties revenue Advertising/sponsorship revenue Parking revenue Ticket revenue Concessions revenue Merchandise/novelties revenue Advertising/sponsorship revenue Parking revenue Rent Total revenue Operations Maintenance and repair Utilities Debt service, FY2011 Net cost to municipality to operate facility, FY2011
City of Peoria Peoria Sports Complex (1994) Mariners: 112,338 (16) Padres: 75,906 (15) 1994/2014 20% + $1 surcharge; 100% premium-seat revenue 50% 50% 50% 50% $735,000 $575,000 $97,000 $299,000 $240,000 $134,000 $2,757,875 Yes^ Yes Yes $0 $4,353,164
City has pledged $18.8 million this summer for stadium upgrades, which will be paid using revenue from the city's half-cent sales tax. City last year retained an estimated $175,000 from the $1 per ticket sold surcharge, $55,000 from convenience fees from online ticket purchases and $10,000 from a contract with Tickets.com. Premium-seat revenue collected by the city is deposited into the ballpark's capital improvement account, which the lease requires must be kept with a minimum balance of $50,000. City also is required to sustain a maintenance reserve account with a minimum balance of $90,000. City is responsible for general ballpark operations, but the teams pay for clubhouse security and clubhouse cleaning.
City of Mesa HoHoKam Park (1997) Cubs: 160,536 (17); Mesa Solar Sox 1997/2016 80% + $5.14 surcharge 25% 25% 10% None $594,034 $365,258 $81,938 $190,456 $0 $0 $1,231,686 Yes Yes Yes $0 $2,170,000
A new ballpark scheduled to open in 2014 (located in Mesa two miles southwest of HoHoKam Park) will give the Cubs rights to all game-day revenue and responsibilty for operations costs. The city will pay up to $99 milion for construction. The club's new 25-year lease includes two successive options to extend the agreement an additional five years. The Ricketts family, who owns the Cubs, also has an option to lease land adjacent to the stadium for the development of a year-round Wrigleyville West commercial complex.
City of Goodyear Goodyear Ballpark (2009) Indians: 59,744 (16) Reds: 53,050 (14) Indians: 2009/2028 Reds: 2010/2029 20% + $1 surcharge 50% 50% 50% 50% $498,400 $155,098 $84,000 $135,000 $50,295 $200,000 $1,122,793 Yes Yes Yes $6,500,000 $2,100,000
Revenue from the ticket surcharge and club-seat sales go directly to the stadium capital improvement fund. The city has the right to sell naming rights to the venue, and all potential revenue from that sale would go into the stadium maintenance fund.
City of Phoenix Maryvale Baseball Park (1998/2005) Brewers: 74,330 (17) 1998/2012 $0.50-$1 surcharge (4,501+) None None None None $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $553,000 $553,000* No Yes Yes $0 $1,860,000
City gets no ticket revenue if the average per-game spring training ticket sales total is below 4,500, 50 cents per ticket between 4,501 and 7,000, and $1 per ticket at 7,001 or above. Ticket sales have only exceeded the minimum threshold twice, but both occasions have come in recent years (2008 and 2010), and spring sales were said to be strong as of press time for this year.
City of Tempe Tempe Diablo Stadium
(1969/2005)
Angels: 88,413 (16) 2004/2025 20% None None None None $235,506 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $235,506 Yes^ Yes Yes^ $0 $1,812,158
City is responsible for ballpark operations and utilities, but club pays the electric bill for the field lights and for clubhouse janitorial services. The Tempe Diablos, the nonprofit group that operates the stadium, distributes city proceeds from the venue to area charities.
City of Scottsdale Scottsdale Stadium (1992/2006) Giants: 160,574 (16) 2006/2025 $1 surcharge None None None None $160,574 $0 $0 $0 $0 $200,000 $360,574 Yes Yes Yes $337,144 $1,655,222
The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority paid $51,853 of the debt service listed here; city paid the rest. Revenue from the ticket surcharge is placed in a capital improvement fund.
City of Surprise Surprise Stadium (2003) Rangers: 103,507 (15) Royals: 72,900 (16); Surprise Rafters 2003/2022 50% + $3.50 surcharge 50% 50% 50% 50% $639,881 $163,684 $108,604 $132,966 $0 $136,867 $1,182,002 Yes Yes Yes $780,000 $1,300,000
Sales of game-day program books provided for $12,255 of the merchandise/novelties revenue listed here. Ticket revenue includes money collected for the surcharge. There is a $3.50 surcharge on all tickets sold; that money goes toward grounds maintenance costs. Team retains 100 percent of premium-seat ticket sales, minus the surcharge, for an average of $35,000 per year from 600 seats. Ballpark parking is free.
City of Phoenix Phoenix Municipal Stadium (1964/2003) A's: 80,145 (16); Phoenix Desert Dogs 2005/2014 None None None None None $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $375,000 $375,000* No Yes Yes^ $0 $1,140,000
The A's pay the city 53.7 percent of utilities costs at the complex, $14,200 annually to pay for the scoreboard and contribute $50,000 to a stadium improvement fund. The city is responsible for in-game and post-game cleaning. Rent will be $400,000 this year and $425,000 for the final two years of the lease. The city also is required to deposit $75,000 annually into a stadium maintenance fund.
City of Glendale Camelback Ranch (2009) Dodgers: 103,114 (15) White Sox: 91,749 (15) 2009/2028 None None None None None $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $2 $2 No No No $0^ $0^
The city's first debt payment is not scheduled until fiscal year 2013, when it will be $13 million. Annual payments will fluctuate between $14.2 million and $21.8 million until the scheduled payoff in 2038. The two clubs have a 10-year option, dating to the venue's 2009 opening, to develop two parcels of land adjacent to the venue but have no immediate plans to do so. The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority is entitled to six general admission tickets per game at the venue; the city gets 10. If the city chooses to use the facility for parking for an event at nearby University of Phoenix Stadium, the city and the teams will split the revenue. If any advertising display space is unused, the city can use the space for public service announcements or city promotions. The city also has no obligation to make any stadium upgrades until 2016.
Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (2011) Rockies: 169,571 (16) Diamondbacks: 189,737 (17) 2011/2035 85% + surcharge 85% 85% None 85% DND DND DND $0 DND $0 DND DND Yes Yes DND DND
The only Arizona spring training facility not owned by a municipality; all figures are estimates. The clubs pay for field maintenance but are reimbursed by the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. There is a ticket surcharge and 100 percent of that revenue goes toward operation and maintenance of facility.

Notes: Fiscal year 2011 covers the period July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011. Non-MLB teams listed are Arizona Fall League teams. Listed surcharges are per ticket sold. Revenue from game-program sales is counted as merchandise/novelties revenue. Portions of revenue can go to outside parties, such as concessionaires. Most leases include team-held options for additional years beyond the listed ending year of the deal. Numbers have been rounded.
^ See information in text line below
* City of Phoenix's two facilities generated additional revenue not reflected here that is combined in the city's annual report.
DND: Did not disclose
Sources: City/county annual reports, facility leases
Research by David Broughton, Kristen Heimstead

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