Arizona House Bill 2704, designed to help the Arizona Diamondbacks fund renovations and maintenance, has cleared another big hurdle toward its passage. By a 35-25 vote, the bill passed the Arizona House of Representatives. Now it goes toward the Arizona Senate for a vote, then to Governor Katie Hobbs to sign or veto if it passes.
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Weninger of Chandler, the bill would allow the Diamondbacks to use a tax recapture mechanism. That would allow the team to get a portion of the sales tax and income tax of team employees and players alike. The money would then go to a fund that the team will use to finance renovations and maintenance.
The Diamondbacks had been seeking a public-private partnership to help fund an estimated $500 million for Chase Field. The team intends to invest $250-300 million of their own money and the recapture is expected to get $15 million per year. President and CEO Derrick Hall expressed excitement about the bill while also being quick to iterate this is not a tax increase on consumers.
Hall released a statement upon the bill's passage, which was shared by Arizona Sports beat writer Alex Weiner on X.
... Hobbs for the leadership and encouragement, as well as all House Representatives who supported it. Allowing this proud franchise to remain at Chase Field for continued economic and community impact is in the best interest of the City, County, State and Major League Baseball.”
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) February 27, 2025
One of the main priorities for the Diamondbacks will be to fix an old HVAC system that has been a problem. Both fans and players alike have complained about the heat in the stadium, which has become increasingly more difficult to cool. In addition, they will install a new scoreboard, revamp luxury suites and seating, and repair the electrical and plumbing systems in the stadium.
The passage of the bill is pivotal toward the team staying in Chase Field. Their current lease with the county runs through the 2027 season. If the bill doesn't pass then it opens the door for the team to leave Phoenix in search of a new ballpark, whether it's somewhere else in the valley or a new city.