ASU Baseball could partner with Cubs

[Dback Jon]

Arizona State is in discussions with the Chicago Cubs to practice and play its baseball games at the Cubs' new spring-training complex in Mesa starting in 2014.

The Cubs approached ASU about sharing the $84 million complex, which was approved in November by Mesa voters and will be constructed on the site of the current Riverview Golf Course, roughly five miles east of the university.

Virgil Renzulli, ASU vice president for public affairs, said the cost to the school is estimated at $2 million for a clubhouse compared with $20 million to $25 million to rebuild Packard Stadium, home to the Sun Devils since 1974. Tempe Diablo and Phoenix Municipal stadiums also have been discussed as possible ASU options for a new baseball home.



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu...eball-partner-chicago-cubs.html#ixzz1TyvK15f4

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Smart move. Not like many students (or anybody for that matter) go to college baseball games out here anyways so having the facility on campus is somewhat useless. UA is likely going to do the same with Hi Corbett. This also allows the universities to sell beer at games which will inevitably drive up attendance.

 

[Dback Jon]

Smart move. Not like many students (or anybody for that matter) go to college baseball games out here anyways so having the facility on campus is somewhat useless. UA is likely going to do the same with Hi Corbett. This also allows the universities to sell beer at games which will inevitably drive up attendance.

And it is not like Riverview is that far from campus - 3 miles from Packard Stadium to Riverview down Rio Salado Drive

 

[Gaddabout]

And they can turn Packard into ...

parking.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Could help the Cubs having a team with a tradition of winning sharing their place.

 

[Mulli]

I don't know about this. Cubs = bad juju.

 

[Gaddabout]

I don't know about this. Cubs = bad juju.

Mebbe the Cubs are hoping some good juju rubs off on them from ASU.

 

[HooverDam]

I do worry that a big stadium that seats over 10K is going to feel pretty empty most of the time if ASU only draws 3-5K. Also, if ASU is going to go to a Spring Training site I think I'd prefer PHX Muni. Its closer, has a more convenient/Central location and ASU has some history there. But I understand why the Cubs are being so aggressive, they need to ensure that some people are around their Wrigleyville development at other times of year besides Spring Training.

It would be nice if the Modern Streetcar they're building in Tempe would eventually connect to Mesa.

Perhaps in a loop starting at SkySong, running West on McDowell, going down Galvin & connecting the DBG & Zoo, connecting with LRT on Priest/Washington, coming down Priest over the lake, then running East on Rio Salado to connect the Arts Center, Beach Park and the North part of Downtown Tempe. It could then just follow Rio Salado Eastbound and connect the Town Lake developments, Sun Devil Stadium, the potential future Olympic complex & other lakeside developments, Tempe Marketplace, the new Cubs/ASU parks, Waveyard (if it happens) & terminate at Mesa Riverview.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

And they can turn Packard into ...

parking.

I love Packard.

Where's the Goldwater Institute in all this?

 

[Gaddabout]

I do worry that a big stadium that seats over 10K is going to feel pretty empty most of the time if ASU only draws 3-5K. Also, if ASU is going to go to a Spring Training site I think I'd prefer PHX Muni. Its closer, has a more convenient/Central location and ASU has some history there.

- ASU can sell beer at this stadium. Attendance will increase. It will be like having a minor-league baseball team again ... which makes it a shame that Murph is gone. *rimshot*

- Students don't think about Muni because they don't think about much of anything north of the 202/west of Scottsdale Rd. The stadium will be, in the minds of the students, an extension of the campus. They already go to the large shopping mall there.

 

[HooverDam]

They already go to the large shopping mall there.

Students go to Riverview? I see them at Tempe Marketplace, in large part due to the Orbit shuttles going there, but Riverview has been devoid of students/people every time I've been there.

 

[Gaddabout]

Students go to Riverview? I see them at Tempe Marketplace, in large part due to the Orbit shuttles going there, but Riverview has been devoid of students/people every time I've been there.

They're always at the bars/movies on the rare occasion I go there. *shrug*

 

[HooverDam]

They're always at the bars/movies on the rare occasion I go there. *shrug*

Hm I'm not saying its impossible, the whole place just seemed abandoned when I went. Either way, I'm not against the ASU-Cubs idea, just that I personally would prefer PHX Muni, I like the history there and its cool Mid Century Modern architecture.

Either way I think a Modern Streetcar line connecting Tempe, Mesa, Phx and Scottsdale like I outlined would be killer & really help projects like this, as well as help spur other new development. In the future a line like I outlined above could even be extended East on 8th Street into Mesa, over to Westwood HS, work its way NE to HoHoKam & then loop back South and go into Downtown Mesa and connect w/ the future LRT extension.

Oh hey, look at this from today's AzCentral article:

Tempe wants Mesa to help establish a streetcar line along that route.