Craig Harris

The Republic | azcentral.com

Questions and answers regarding dispute between the Diamondbacks and Maricopa County

Is more at stake than $187 million in capital repairs at Chase Field?

The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Maricopa County Stadium District appear to be headed to court after four years of unsuccessful negotiations over who is financially responsible for Chase Field capital repairs that are projected to cost $187 million over the next 12 years.

The dispute erupted into public view last week, with the Diamondbacks threatening to leave downtown Phoenix. The team says it plans to sue the county over this matter in the near future.

The Arizona Republic on Tuesday met with Derrick Hall, the team's chief executive, and Daren Frank, Stadium District director, to discuss the issues. Frank also provided a tour of Chase Field, showing major repairs the district has made. The following are answers to frequently asked questions lingering in the wake of the D-Backs announcement.

Bickley: Stadium games threaten Valley mood

What's at the root of this disagreement?

The Diamondbacks say the Stadium District has failed to properly finance its share of a capital-improvement fund, which currently contains about $16 million. The team says that's not enough money, now or in the future, to pay for renovations expected to be needed through 2028, when the team's 30-year stadium lease ends. Though the team has not identified specific renovations now needed, it is concerned there is not enough money should a major malfunction occur, like the retractable roof not being able to open or the air-conditioning system failing.

What are other disagreements?

The team is fed up because its rising rent, now more than $4 million a year, is the key component feeding the capital-improvement fund. The district's contribution is about $700,000 a year, which comes from hosting non-baseball events such as concerts or football games at Chase Field. The district contends it is not contractually bound to put a set amount of money into that fund, which so far has been used to pay for $42 million in repairs and enhancements, including a $10 million scoreboard that the Diamondbacks wanted. The district said it also has fixed damaged expansion joints and made concrete repairs. Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks say they pay another $15 million a year for customary maintenance, such as field work, lighting and custodial work.

TELL US: What's your favorite Chase Field memory?

What does the team propose?

Diamondbacks officials say they have offered to take over the $187 million in current and future capital obligations in exchange for the district significantly lowering the team's rent — to about $200,000 a year — and giving up control of the stadium's non-baseball events. The team believes it could make at least $4 million annually hosting non-baseball events at the facility. The team also wants the ability to negotiate directly with Phoenix or the state over funding issues, because the Stadium District does not have the legal authority to issue bonds or raise taxes to renovate the stadium. The county responds that the $187 million figure is a "wish list" of repairs and non-essential enhancements — for example, new scoreboard panels. It says it might only cost $80 million to do necessary structural repairs over the next 12 years, and there should be enough money to do that. The county, which raised $238 million in sales taxes to help build the stadium in the 1990s, says it does not want to cede control of the building to the team with 12 years left on a contract that is favorable to the district and taxpayers.

What is the team's ultimate goal?

The team wants to maximize its revenues to compete with other Major League Baseball teams. That's something it doesn't think can happen if it pays a steep rent and cannot control other events that would increase stadium-use revenues. The team says it has the worst stadium/arena deal among the four professional sports franchises in metro Phoenix, despite providing an economic benefit to the metro area.

Is there a backstory to this dispute?

Yes. Though the Diamondbacks and the Stadium District have been dickering over the past four years, their dispute became public as the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Coyotes and Arizona State University begin looking for new facilities, potentially in downtown Phoenix. Sports and civic power brokers have informally discussed the idea of a sports mecca in downtown Phoenix to accommodate various sports entities. Diamondbacks Managing Partner Ken Kendrick is a key investor in nearby CityScape, a mixed-use high-rise development downtown, and might be interested in being part of such a plan. The Diamondbacks for years have said they want a smaller, more modern stadium. They might be able to get one as part of a grand downtown sports plan.

Montini: Diamondbacks 'care' about fans by...fleecing them?

Our View: Diamondbacks like to play hardball (now we know it for certain)