Taxpayers told to pay for stadiums to lure Arizona Spring Training

• "Glendale (Arizona) has offered to lure the Chicago White Sox from Tucson Electric Park and the Los Angeles Dodgers from their spring training home in Florida.

The deal includes not just a brand-new taxpayer-financed stadium, but also no requirement to share revenue with the city--— not from baseball games, not from concessions, not from concerts and trade shows held in the off-season.

• And when the city uses the stadium for its events, taxpayers will reimburse the teams for wear-and-tear on the fields.

The deal also includes a 10-year option for the teams' owners on 30 acres of city-owned land, including 18 acres near the proposed stadium site. The price will be locked in today, and the owners get 10 years to decide if they want it."

• Pima County officials are eager for baseball, but don't believe they can match the deal Glendale offered the White Sox and Dodgers.

• "Glendale's Offer:

*Teams keep all revenue from ticket sales

*Teams keep all revenue from concessions

*Teams keep all revenue from parking

*Teams keep all revenue from nonbaseball events like concerts and trade shows

*City pays the teams for wear and tear when it uses the stadium for city events

*Teams' owners get a 10-year option on two city-owned properties, with the price locked in today

• Pima County's Offer

*Teams keep 80 percent of revenue from ticket sales, stadium district gets 20 percent plus a premium for suites

*Teams keep all revenue from hard concessions (souvenirs); stadium district keeps all revenue from soft concessions (food and drink)

*Teams keep 80 percent of revenue from parking, stadium district gets 20 percent

*County keeps all revenue from nonbaseball events

*County does not pay to use the stadium, but it does not schedule nonbaseball events before or during spring training."

• The article has the usual lingo about how even though the taxpayers will be paying they really won't be paying, etc. from the Arizona Daily Star, 11/26/06

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