Cactus League ballpark leases wind down in West Valley

By Richard Smith
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The ball is in play for Glendale, Goodyear and Surprise as the three furthest west Cactus League ballparks are next up to extend leases with their MLB teams.

Camelback Ranch-Glendale is the most immediate and, arguably, the most convoluted situation. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox will complete their original 20-year lease after the 2028 spring training season.

In December 2022, the White Sox and Dodgers jointly filed legal papers to request arbitration in their dispute with the city of Glendale over MLB’s directive to all clubs to provide locker rooms on site for female umpires.

Glendale city officials did not answer questions about the lease, results of the lawsuit or potential upgrades that could be part of a lease renegotiation before press time for this guide.

Goodyear Ballpark also has one original team lease ending after the 2028 Cactus League season.

The Cleveland Guardians (then Indians) moved to Goodyear in 2009 and the Cincinnati Reds followed in 2010 and signed a similar 20-year lease that expires after the end of 2029 spring training.

“Initial discussions have taken place to extend agreements with the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds. At this point, it is too early in the process to know if renovations to Goodyear Ballpark will be included,” stated Tammy Vo, Goodyear digital communications director, in an email.

Surprise extended its lease with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers in spring 2015. The new 15-year lease will expire in January 2030, right before that year’s Cactus League.

Surprise Sports & Tourism Director Kendra Pettis stated in an email the Royals and Rangers have been great partners to the city since arriving in 2003.

Spring training continued to generate a positive economic impact within the community each year, she said.

“The city works closely with both teams on long-term planning and has started early conversations on lease extensions and possible renovations,” Pettis stated.

Where could teams go if a lease is allowed to expire? Exurban growth and nearby tribal reservations provide several options.

But the two largest suburbs without a team in the Valley, southeast Valley giants Chandler and Gilbert, are not actively seeking teams or stadium financing.

Gilbert Digital Media and Marketing Deputy Director Jennifer Harrison stated in an email the town of Gilbert recognizes the benefit that spring training baseball brings to the Valley and the state.

Gilbert is not in the market for teams or discussing building a ballpark. But it is willing to listen.

“Communities like Gilbert benefit from close proximity to the region’s current facilities as visitors venture out and explore the area. As with any project, should a Major League Baseball team express interest in bringing spring training to the community, we would work to support them in exploring our current market options,” Harrison stated.

Chandler officials have expressed no interest in spring training. The former Compadre Stadium site and Milwaukee Brewers practice fields were redeveloped into residential properties and a city park, stated Matthew Burdick, Chandler communications and public affairs director, in an email.

Chandler is nearly built out with about 93% of the land already developed, he stated.

“Most of the remaining land available is dedicated toward employment uses in areas of high-tech manufacturing, information technology and software, business and financial services, aviation and aerospace, healthcare and bioscience,” Burdick stated.

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.