Cards considering camp in Prescott
By DOUG COOK
The Daily Courier
PRESCOTT – City of Prescott officials and the grounds crew at Pioneer Park certainly wouldn’t mind seeing red this summer – Big Red.
When Greg Fister, the city’s economic development coordinator, heard three weeks ago that new Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green had phoned the Chamber of Commerce seeking a cooler, in-state site such as Prescott to polish off the team’s training camp in late August, his wheels started spinning. Today, Cardinals officials are expected to visit the Prescott area to contemplate signing a contract with the city and Prescott Resort that would bring the Big Red to Pioneer Park for practices from Aug. 22 to Sept. 2, at the tail end of the NFL club’s camp.
“There is nothing firm about anything,” said Cardinals media coordinator Greg Gladysiewski, confirming that a contingent of coaches and football staff will be in Flagstaff and Prescott today to discuss the camp’s schedule and a possible agreement. “This is still a look-and-see, fact-finding mission.”
Flagstaff represents the official home of the Cardinals’ training camp, which opens in early August this year and lasts for about two weeks.
Currently, there is about a 14-day window from late August until the NFL regular season starts Sept. 12 where the Cards return to the sweltering heat of their training complex in Tempe and continue workouts.
An arrangement in Prescott would alter that scenario.
Each year, the Cardinals leave Flagstaff to make room for the start of Northern Arizona University’s fall semester and give the Lumberjacks football team space to practice.
“I would say it’s about an 80/20 (percent) chance for them coming here,” Fister said of the Cards in Prescott. “We’re still in the negotiations point where they’re just considering it. … I don’t know what will be the deciding factor.”
Prescott Parks and Recreation services director Jim McCasland, who would be responsible for the park’s fields’ maintenance, said the Cardinals could have up to three practice fields waiting for them at Pioneer Park.
“I’m confident we can provide them with what they need,” said McCasland, whose crew would paint the fields’ lines. “Having camp here would bring additional people to the community to stay, and help the economy of Prescott. This is exciting.”
Over the past few weeks Fister has worked behind the scenes with Green and the Cardinals organization to line up feasible lodging, facilities and locker room space to accommodate the team.
“We’re investigating the possibility and I’m optimistic (that the Cards will be in Prescott),” said Fister, who thinks hundreds of thousands of dollars would pour into Prescott’s economy due to the visit. “We would love for the Cardinals to be here. We’ve been working on it exclusively for the last two weeks, trying to get the details down.”
If all goes as planned, Prescott Resort would act as the Cardinals’ team headquarters, with half of the resort’s rooms and all of its conference space reserved for team lodging and meetings.
Conference areas could be converted and utilized for dressing rooms, something Fister said Green approved. An air-conditioned tent with Astroturf floors resting adjacent to the resort would act as a makeshift weight room.
Since the resort is several miles away from Pioneer Park, Prescott and Bradshaw Mountain High schools have combined to loan three charter buses for the Cardinals’ round-trip use. Fister estimates that the Cards would hold 16 practices and some two-a-day drills at the park.
“We got that taken care of,” said Fister, adding that Green and Rod Graves, the team’s vice president of football operations, toured the resort and examined a contract two weeks ago. “When I started calling around, the biggest obstacle was a lack of locker room facilities.”
The Cardinals have also considered an option of concluding their camp in San Diego at the University of California-San Diego’s La Jolla campus, nestled along the sparkling waters of the Pacific Ocean.
“Green was looking at San Diego for a while, but he didn’t want to leave the state,” Fister said. “UCSD has made an offer.”
Prescott Resort manager Mic Fenech and Graves were unavailable for comment Monday.
Contact the reporter at [email protected]
By DOUG COOK
The Daily Courier
PRESCOTT – City of Prescott officials and the grounds crew at Pioneer Park certainly wouldn’t mind seeing red this summer – Big Red.
When Greg Fister, the city’s economic development coordinator, heard three weeks ago that new Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green had phoned the Chamber of Commerce seeking a cooler, in-state site such as Prescott to polish off the team’s training camp in late August, his wheels started spinning. Today, Cardinals officials are expected to visit the Prescott area to contemplate signing a contract with the city and Prescott Resort that would bring the Big Red to Pioneer Park for practices from Aug. 22 to Sept. 2, at the tail end of the NFL club’s camp.
“There is nothing firm about anything,” said Cardinals media coordinator Greg Gladysiewski, confirming that a contingent of coaches and football staff will be in Flagstaff and Prescott today to discuss the camp’s schedule and a possible agreement. “This is still a look-and-see, fact-finding mission.”
Flagstaff represents the official home of the Cardinals’ training camp, which opens in early August this year and lasts for about two weeks.
Currently, there is about a 14-day window from late August until the NFL regular season starts Sept. 12 where the Cards return to the sweltering heat of their training complex in Tempe and continue workouts.
An arrangement in Prescott would alter that scenario.
Each year, the Cardinals leave Flagstaff to make room for the start of Northern Arizona University’s fall semester and give the Lumberjacks football team space to practice.
“I would say it’s about an 80/20 (percent) chance for them coming here,” Fister said of the Cards in Prescott. “We’re still in the negotiations point where they’re just considering it. … I don’t know what will be the deciding factor.”
Prescott Parks and Recreation services director Jim McCasland, who would be responsible for the park’s fields’ maintenance, said the Cardinals could have up to three practice fields waiting for them at Pioneer Park.
“I’m confident we can provide them with what they need,” said McCasland, whose crew would paint the fields’ lines. “Having camp here would bring additional people to the community to stay, and help the economy of Prescott. This is exciting.”
Over the past few weeks Fister has worked behind the scenes with Green and the Cardinals organization to line up feasible lodging, facilities and locker room space to accommodate the team.
“We’re investigating the possibility and I’m optimistic (that the Cards will be in Prescott),” said Fister, who thinks hundreds of thousands of dollars would pour into Prescott’s economy due to the visit. “We would love for the Cardinals to be here. We’ve been working on it exclusively for the last two weeks, trying to get the details down.”
If all goes as planned, Prescott Resort would act as the Cardinals’ team headquarters, with half of the resort’s rooms and all of its conference space reserved for team lodging and meetings.
Conference areas could be converted and utilized for dressing rooms, something Fister said Green approved. An air-conditioned tent with Astroturf floors resting adjacent to the resort would act as a makeshift weight room.
Since the resort is several miles away from Pioneer Park, Prescott and Bradshaw Mountain High schools have combined to loan three charter buses for the Cardinals’ round-trip use. Fister estimates that the Cards would hold 16 practices and some two-a-day drills at the park.
“We got that taken care of,” said Fister, adding that Green and Rod Graves, the team’s vice president of football operations, toured the resort and examined a contract two weeks ago. “When I started calling around, the biggest obstacle was a lack of locker room facilities.”
The Cardinals have also considered an option of concluding their camp in San Diego at the University of California-San Diego’s La Jolla campus, nestled along the sparkling waters of the Pacific Ocean.
“Green was looking at San Diego for a while, but he didn’t want to leave the state,” Fister said. “UCSD has made an offer.”
Prescott Resort manager Mic Fenech and Graves were unavailable for comment Monday.
Contact the reporter at [email protected]
