Cubs ownership to get Mesa sales pitch

The family that took ownership of the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday will visit Mesa in early November to get a pitch on why the team should keep its spring training in Arizona.

For Mesa, the talks are much more important than making a good first impression.

The Ricketts family ownership already has a preliminary offer of a new spring training facility in Florida, and the baseball team has told Mesa that new facilities are essential to staying in Arizona.

Mayor Scott Smith said Tuesday that Mesa must at least match whatever Florida would offer if it is serious about keeping the Cubs in Mesa. The Ricketts have visited Florida already, but not Arizona.

While the Cubs' history with Mesa dates to the 1950s, Smith said the city must develop a relationship and a proposal as though the city and team were new to each other.

"This new owner is not familiar with the Arizona or the Cactus League opportunities," Smith said.

The billionaire Ricketts family completed its $845 million deal for the Cubs Tuesday, taking a 95 percent controlling interest from the parent company of the Chicago Tribune, the Tribune Co. The family includes Joe Ricketts, the founder of TD Ameritrade, and Pete, Tom, Laura and Todd Ricketts.

Tom Ricketts is an investment banker and Cubs die-hard who grew up watching the team, once lived in an apartment across the street from Wrigley Field and met his wife in the stands there.

The Ricketts will visit as part of an annual trip Cubs management makes to Mesa. The city is still putting together an itinerary that will likely include a tour of potential sites in east Mesa for a training facility, as well as talks with elected officials, business leaders and community members.

The city will emphasize the Cubs' history here and the team's loyal fan base, though Smith acknowledged any deal will rely on the development and financial deal that's best for the owners.

"Being nostalgic only goes so far," Smith said.

The Cubs are the most popular of the 14 Cactus League teams, with nearly double the attendance of the average team. A study commissioned by Mesa showed the state would lose $52 million if the Cubs left Arizona.

The Cubs practice at Fitch Park and play games at Hohokam Stadium, which are located in residential areas and offer no way for the city or the team to make money from spin-off businesses, hotels, restaurants or shops. New facilities would likely be surrounded by commercial development and could cost $60 million to $80 million.

The Associated Press contributed to this report