Hall: Chase Field renovations talks slow, still likeliest home for D-backs

The future of the Arizona Diamondbacks staying at a renovated Chase Field is still up in the air, despite months of ongoing negotiations between the club and officials.

“I think that’s probably the strongest possibility. Any talks we’ve had have really slowed down,” Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall said, speaking with KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Thursday. “For whatever reason, they’ve stalled.

“This place has been home since day one. We’re in our 25th anniversary. It’s a special place. People have memories here (and) we want to continue making memories here.”

He spoke of the complications of getting a number of people on board with a particular plan.

“We’re having to talk to (Maricopa) county officials, (Phoenix) city officials, state officials; when it comes to Chase Field and just seeing how we can partner for us to be here,” Hall said. “We’re finding difficulty getting there but I’m confident we can find a solution.”

Back in March, Hall set a timeline of one-to-two months for deciding what the club would do regarding Chase Field and their future plans.

Aging Chase Field

Chase Field — owned by the Maricopa County Stadium District — is the fourth oldest park in the National League.

There are real problems that need to be addressed at Chase Field. However, some of the issues can be seen as “Keeping up with the Joneses.”

The Diamondbacks’ home field this this year was listed as the 27th-ranked ballpark in MLB by USA Today’s ForTheWin, once again bringing up the aging stadium’s need for a refresh. The article cites the issues opening the roof when fans are present, air conditioning issues and scoreboard problems.

In February, Hall said the new scoreboards and audio system could be done quickly, but the renovations could be done in a three-to-seven-year timetable.

Looking to the future

Ownership is also looking to upgrade the stadium.

“A big part of that to make this ballpark as good as the new ballparks that are being built today, we just got to bring it up to speed to that overall experiential offerings,” Hall said. “Some of the premium offerings areas, revenue; because the more revenue we can drive, it’s going to go right into the product on the field.”

Hall explained ownership doesn’t take any money from the club and always re-invests it, whether in talent or into the stadium.