An economic impact study funded by Arizona said Tucson would receive bigger benefits if the spring training facility of the Chicago White Sox were converted into a tournament center for youth baseball leagues.
The team wants to move into a new $100 million baseball complex in Glendale financed by $80.7 million of revenue bonds issued by the Glendale Municipal Property Corp., but has been unable to find a new tenant for the Tucson facility. The new Glendale facility, which will also house the Los Angeles Dodgers, will open in 2009.
The Chicago team’s contract with Tucson expires in 2013. The team cannot move to Glendale before then unless it pays $28 million to break the lease or finds a replacement team for Tucson.
The economic impact study by economist Elliott Pollack said the youth baseball complex proposed by the White Sox would generate about $46 million in economic activity, which would be $35 million more than what the spring training facility generates.
The White Sox said they would contribute $2.6 million to upgrade Pima County’s Kino Sports Complex, which the team shares with the Arizona Diamondbacks, to convert it for youth tournament activity. The upgrade would include additional playing fields, lighting, and grass infields.
White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert said by 2011 the youth facility could attract 600,000 visitors. The team would operate the facility and pay most of the maintenance, saving the county about $700,000 a year, he said.
Pollack’s report estimated the visitors would spend $27.6 million a year. Economic multipliers put the total impact at $46 million, the study said. Fewer than 18,000 out-of-town visitors attend White Sox spring training every March, spending an estimated $6.2 million.
The new Glendale facility includes a 12,000-seat stadium with 3,000 lawn seats, two major league fields and four minor league fields per team, workout fields, a large clubhouse, and parking for 5,000 vehicles. The Glendale City Council has authorized up to $125 million of revenue bonds for the facility.
The White Sox must play at least 20 games a year at the Glendale complex beginning in 2009, or pay a fine of $250,000 for each game below that level. Teams typically play 30 full games during spring training.
