樱花动漫

This column by Arizona 樱花动漫 of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden and state House Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Jeff Weninger originally at azcentral.com. 

Arizona is a sports state. We pack stadiums, host championships and attract millions of fans.

But major league teams aren鈥檛 guaranteed to stay forever 鈥� . The loss of an NHL franchise should be a wake-up call. We can鈥檛 afford to lose another.

That鈥檚 why House Bill 2704 was introduced 鈥� to keep Arizona a . This bill creates a responsible, sustainable framework to modernize a publicly owned stadium and secure the Diamondbacks鈥� future in Arizona.

This isn鈥檛 just about baseball; it鈥檚 about protecting a powerful economic engine and preventing the costly mistake of losing another franchise.

The competition for professional teams is fiercer than ever.

Cities like Salt Lake, Nashville and Portland are , offering lucrative stadium deals to lure franchises away. If we don鈥檛 act, Arizona risks becoming a market that leagues overlook or abandon.

The Diamondbacks鈥� lease at Chase Field . We can鈥檛 wait until the eleventh hour to find a solution. Cities that plan ahead and invest in their teams will keep them; those that hesitate will watch them leave. 

The DBacks play a bigger role in Arizona than just baseball 鈥� they help drive jobs, tourism and economic growth. Their impact goes far beyond the ballpark:

• in direct economic impact from the DBacks鈥� 2023 playoff run alone.
• More than in GDP from Chase Field over 25 years, hosting marquee events like the World Series, MLB All-Star Game and College Football Bowl Games.
• invested in Arizona communities 鈥� which as DBacks CEO Derrick Hall has said, is local sports franchise.
• Thousands of jobs supported, from stadium employees to hotels, restaurants and businesses that rely on game-day traffic.
• Spring training and MLB tourism inject millions of additional dollars into the state each year.

Major League Baseball teams aren鈥檛 just entertainment. They鈥檙e economic powerhouses.

Losing one doesn鈥檛 just hurt fans 鈥� it cripples local businesses. Look at Oakland, where and struggling restaurants are the fallout of losing an MLB team. We can鈥檛 let Arizona make the same mistake.

Chase Field is now one of the oldest ballparks in the National League.

Built in 1998, it has never undergone a major renovation, and its HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems are failing. Aging infrastructure doesn鈥檛 fix itself. These upgrades are necessary to keep the stadium functional, competitive and built to last.

ensures Chase Field remains a premier venue through a proven public-private partnership that keeps the Diamondbacks in Arizona without putting the burden on taxpayers.

The plan doesn鈥檛 create a new tax 鈥� it is already generating. If you don鈥檛 attend games, your tax dollars won鈥檛, either.

Similar models, including the voter-approved , have successfully kept teams like the Arizona Cardinals in state by maintaining world-class venues without shifting costs onto taxpayers.

HB 2704 ensures that every dollar stays within the stadium, funding critical improvements that protect Chase Field as an asset for the state.

The Diamondbacks aren鈥檛 asking for a handout 鈥� they鈥檙e investing in their own future.

They鈥檝e already spent millions on repairs on a publicly owned building, including a new roof and LED lighting, and will cover the majority of the estimated . HB 2704 simply provides a sustainable funding mechanism to complete the necessary upgrades.

Sports are the pulse of Arizona鈥檚 identity and economy, bringing national visibility, tourism and major investment to our state. The Diamondbacks鈥� World Series run wasn鈥檛 just a victory for the team 鈥� it was free advertising for Arizona鈥檚 business climate and quality of life.

We can鈥檛 afford to gamble with the future of professional baseball in Arizona. The NHL forced the Coyotes to relocate after years of instability over their venue. If we fail to act, Major League Baseball could face similar questions about the DBacks鈥� long-term future in Phoenix.

HB 2704 is a smart, strategic and necessary solution to keep Arizona at the forefront of professional sports. Lawmakers and business leaders must come together to secure the Diamondbacks鈥� future in Phoenix.

It鈥檚 time to step up to the plate and pass HB 2704.

Danny Seiden is president and CEO of the Arizona 樱花动漫 of Commerce & Industry. Rep. Jeff Weninger (R-Chandler) is the chairman of the state House Commerce Committee and the sponsor of HB 2704.