More Confusion and Secrecy on Proposed Cubs Spring Training Project

City of Mesa mayor Scott Smith was quoted today in the Arizona Republic as saying the odds are very good that the city and the Chicago Cubs will have a deal in place for financing the proposed new spring training facility for the team within the time frame described by the Memorandum of Understanding signed back in January. While the mayor did not say how the development would be financed, he did say “Yes, there will be something for voters.” The mayor contradicted recent comments from Cubs officials by emphasizing there would not be an increase in property or sales taxes. So, it remains unclear just exactly what the “something” he referred to is.

At this juncture, it appears the city is continuing a purposeful campaign to conceal details of this project in an effort to blunt opposition.

Two-Team Stadiums Draw Most Spring Training Fans

The Cactus League team which drew the most fans this past spring training season was the San Francisco Giants playing in the City of Scottsdale. However, the stadiums which had the greatest attendance, ahead of Scottsdale and in order of rank, were Camelback Ranch in Glendale, the Peoria Sports Complex and Surprise Stadium. Hohokam Park in Mesa, where the Chicago Cubs play, came in fifth place. This set of circumstances came about because the top three facilities were each shared by two baseball teams. Obviously, it is the number of people attending games which is the most important factor in determining the economic impact and potential tax revenue generated by a spring training project. Next year there will be another two-team stadium in Maricopa County which will be shared by the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies.

Unfortunately for City of Mesa taxpayers, the Chicago Cubs early on in negotiations rejected the two-team format for a proposed new spring training facility. In January of this year the Cubs president was quoted as saying they had been approached by other teams about the possibility of a shared project, but they rejected the concept. Too bad nobody asked the opinion of the people who will be asked to pay for this development.

Mesa City Council Meets to Discuss Cubs Stadium Deal

The Mesa City Council met today to discuss new proposals to fund the proposed Chicago Cubs spring training project. Unfortunately, as with most of the previous official gatherings on this subject, this meeting was not open to the public. Perhaps there will be some announcement within a few days as to what was discussed. Recently, far more information about this development has been revealed by the Cubs organization than by the city. Representatives of Mesa have dodged questions and misled taxpayers for several months on this matter.

Hopefully, one of the proposals discussed at the latest meeting deals with bringing in private funding for at least some portion of this undertaking. This option has the best chance of overcoming objections which have arisen since the spring training proposal was first announced in January.

Mesa Promises Facts on Cubs Stadium

After weeks of silence on the subject, the City of Mesa has announced that they will be revealing new facts concerning the proposed Chicago Cubs spring training facility to be built in east Mesa. Mayor Scott Smith was quoted on May 11th as saying there has been a lot going on behind the scenes and he expected to provide details during the week of May 17th. Perhaps this will include the exact location for the project at Red Mountain Ranch or maybe specifics on the planned new property tax to pay for this development. In any case, it would be a pleasant change to get any information from the city since almost all news recently has been leaked by Cubs representatives.

Mesa Plans to Double Property Tax to Pay for Cubs Spring Training Facility

The City of Mesa has decided the best way to fund a new Chicago Cubs spring training project is to implement a new property tax. This is the second time in two years that the city has proposed using a secondary property tax to raise bonding money. The last occasion was in 2008 when $170 million in bonds were approved by voters to pay for roadways and essential safety services. Back then officials estimated that the impact of the tax would be about $50 annually on a home valued at $250,000. However, as frequently happens with government estimates, the actual amount has ended up being 50% higher. There is no reason to believe the current situation would be any different. Today, officials estimate the impact of the Cubs tax as being about $60 on a $250,000 home. No doubt the actual amount will again be somewhat more.

Still No Information on Source of Funds for Cubs Spring Training Project

While the State of Arizona Legislature has concluded its 2010 session without taking any action on raising funds for a proposed new Chicago Cubs spring training facility, the City of Mesa insists the project is still alive and that it would be “insanity” not continue to pursue the development as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the baseball team and the city. Interestingly, Mesa has never said how it intends to come up with any portion of the money necessary for this venture. Since the months are passing by, it would seem prudent to advise the community about whatever plans may be under consideration. Perhaps Plan B has always been to proceed without the assistance of the state or any private source and to place the entire burden of funding upon Mesa taxpayers.