Look out for flying swine because we're back with a post. Where have we been? Mind your business.

Today we're simply linking to a piece we wrote for Downtown Phoenix and offering some thoughts on the City of Mesa's ongoing game of chicken with the Chicago Cubs.

As you're probably aware, the Cubs are entertaining an offer from the City of Naples to move their Spring Training facilities to Florida.

This would be extremely bad for everyone, except maybe Naples.

The Cactus League brings in hundreds of millions of dollars into the state and tourism dollars are the best kind of economic elixer in these challenging times. Certainly the Cactus League would survive without the Cubs, but if you think some luster wouldn't be lost in the move, you're off base (snicker). And most importantly, the move would be disasterous for Mesa, a city that has been served more than its share of crap sandwiches.

Just how important are the Cubs to Mesa and the Valley?

Cubs fans travel better than any other Cactus League team, which translates to big money for hotels in and outside Mesa, not to mention massive dollars spent in bars and restaurants (if you hadn't been to the World Series in 100 years you'd drink to excess, too). They attend games in other parks, which creates business for Goodyear, Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, Surprise, Peoria. They rent cars, attend Suns games, buy theatre tickets, and shop at Fashion Square, Tempe Marketplace, Biltmore Fashion Park and Chandler Fashion Center.

Bottom line: This isn't a baseball issue, so save your "no more public financing for stadiums" rant.

Whether it's yet another increase in car rental tax or a surcharge on all Cactus League ticket sales, the parties involved (Mesa, the Cactus League, MLB and state government) must figure out a way to keep the Cubs in the Valley.

Arizona's economy and the City of Mesa sure could use the win.

Bookmark

Email this

Trackback(0)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Write comment

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment