Slightly OT - Chicago Tribune: White Sox to Move ST to Glendale?

[TruColor]

From the Chicago Tribune:

4/17/2006

Glendale, Ariz., takes aim at Sox

The Chicago Tribune

By: Dave van Dyck

The White Sox are in negotiations with the city of Glendale, Ariz., to be one of two tenants for a new spring-training complex, according to sources.

Glendale, a western suburb of Phoenix, has just finished a new football stadium for the Arizona Cardinals. The city reportedly has a site selected and a financial plan in place, making the spring of 2008 or 2009 a possibility for the White Sox to move from Tucson.

The other team talking with Glendale officials is believed to be the Los Angeles Dodgers, who train in Vero Beach, Fla.

A move by the White Sox would be contingent on another American League team taking their spot in the Tucson complex they share with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Cleveland Indians, who reportedly have been looking to leave their spring base of Winter Haven, Fla., trained in Tucson for years.

The Sox have been in Tucson since 1998, having moved from Sarasota, Fla., but team officials privately have wanted to move to the Phoenix area for several years. Two years ago, the Sox looked into the possibility of switching to Tempe when the Angels considered leaving for Goodyear, Ariz.

Complicating matters is Goodyear's desire to build a two-team stadium, but Glendale's planning is believed to be further ahead.

Anyone else find this plan a little ironic, since the Cardinals and White Sox used to share the old Comiskey Park?

 

[HooverDam]

Cool! The part I like about this is Cleveland and LA coming here. LA especially, there is no reason for them to go all the way across the country for spring training.

I kind of wish towns like Wickenburg, Prescott, Sedona or Payson would get a spring training team. I guess they are all thought to be too small, but for some reason I just think it would be neat to have a team play a bit more up north (or maybe its too cold in those towns?)

The Cactus League should also go after the StL Cardinals and the Houston Astros. The Cardinals have more rivalries here in Az, with regional teams like KC, Chicago White Sox and especially the Cubs playing here. I bet a spring training Cubs v Cardinals game would be pretty intense.

Finally, I wish the Cactus League would get away from the teams sharing stadiums thing. I believe the only teams to share a stadium in the Grapefruit league are the Cards and Marlins- it would certainly be easier to lure teams to the Cactus league if we could promise them their own stadium I would think.

 

[john h]

From the Chicago Tribune:



Anyone else find this plan a little ironic, since the Cardinals and White Sox used to share the old Comiskey Park?

And the Cardinals played the Bears in Wrigley field when it was a Bears home game. I saw one.

 

[TruColor]

And the Cardinals played the Bears in Wrigley field when it was a Bears home game. I saw one.

Very cool.

People tend to forget that the Bears have only played in Soldier Field since 1971. Wrigley was a two-sport venue for decades...

 

[Mulli]

Go Sox...

 

[Bada0Bing]

“Complicating matters is Goodyear's desire to build a two-team stadium, but Glendale's planning is believed to be further ahead.”

I am rooting hardcore for Goodyear to win this. It would 2 miles from my house. I’m hoping for an American League team though, there’s no way I could go root for the Dodgers.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

i too would be very close to the proposed stadium and it would be the bedrock that would speed up the downtown plans (which look incredible)

there are some other teams who are having their contracts come up though

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Go Sox...

 

[devilfan02]

Go Sox...