Fixing Chase Field air conditioning could take next two offseasons to complete

SCOTTSDALE — Chase Field’s new scoreboard and ribbon boards are in place for the 2026 season, but it is going to take more time before Arizona Diamondbacks fans benefit from improved air conditioning.

Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall said on Sunday that fixing the air conditioning is something the club wants to do “first and foremost” next offseason, and the project could take two winters to complete.

“Over time, the piping that the cool air runs through becomes corroded and clogged,” owner Ken Kendrick explained.

“So we have a cooling plant that works like it always did and produces the air it always produced, but we can’t get it through the system into the stadium at the level that we once could, which is why the process of replacement is going to be so arduous. Just think about the miles of piping that there is in a stadium of this size and the complete replacement of all of that. That’s a big challenge.”

The Diamondbacks have numerous infrastructure renovations to make at the aging ballpark and are going through the planning process with architectural firms, mapping out the next four-to-five years, Hall said.

The roof, HVAC system and concrete are among the priorities, with Hall saying that hundreds of millions of dollars will be going toward infrastructure while the club intends to weave in fan-facing upgrades, as well.

“I think the cost is going to be much higher than we thought,” Hall admitted. “But again, we have to address those right away. It is not such a safety issue now, but it could become one. Not the air, but certainly when you look at concrete, the age of the stadium, the way it is over time falling apart a little bit. We need to fix those and we have to move those up to the top of the list of priority.”

The Diamondbacks have pledged to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into repairs along with the public money from House Bill 2704. The legislation passed last summer to redirect $500 million over the next 30 years in public funding from sales taxes at the ballpark and income taxes from Diamondbacks employees.

The club also has to continue negotiating a lease extension with Maricopa County now that a funding mechanism is in place. The lease is up in 2028.

The new Maricopa County Stadium District Board, which has to approve projects at Chase Field involving public money, has started meeting every other week and is looking at bylaws for a lease extension.

The new scoreboard was operating with fans in the building for the team’s MVP Party hosted on Saturday.

There's just something about that new video board smell…

Check out the Diamondbacks' new screen at Chase Field that debuted during today's Most Valuable Party. pic.twitter.com/hGgk6bbc3a

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) February 14, 2026

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