Mesa landowners lining up to meet with Cubs

Several east Mesa landowners are eager to have the Chicago Cubs build a massive spring training facility on their land and will meet the team’s new owners during a visit next week.

The city trotted out several of those property owners and developers at an event Wednesday to send a message that City Hall and powerful community members are fighting hard to keep the Cubs.

Mesa will introduce the property owners next week to the Ricketts family members who took control of the team this week. The Rickettses will make their first visit to the area, where Mesa will woo family members with a reception hosted by local dignitaries, Gov. Jan Brewer — and even comments from U.S. Sen. John McCain via video.

The visit comes as the new owners consider an offer from Naples, Fla., for a new spring training facility, which Mesa considers a serious threat.

Mesa is relentlessly making the case it can deliver what the Cubs want because the city has built three stadiums for the Cubs since the team first came here in the 1950s.

“We have something more than promises,” Mayor Scott Smith said. “We’ve done it.”

The Rickettses’ visit will include individual meetings with each landowner, and a tour of up to 10 sites along the Loop 202 freeway in east Mesa that are the best candidates for a 100- to 150-acre development.

Mesa is pitching the idea of a “Wrigleyville West” complex that includes a stadium, additional fields and commercial development that plays off fans’ passion for major league baseball and Chicago’s lovable losers.

Gila talks

The city wants to be the only Arizona option, but the Gila River Indian Community is exploring its options. Officials with the tribe’s Wild Horse Pass Development Authority met with the Cubs in Chicago as part of a normal due diligence process for any potential deal, said Barney Enos Jr., a tribal council member.

The development authority is a unit of the tribal government, and Enos emphasized the tribal council has not spoken with the Cubs or discussed any possible proposal. The development authority is still researching the idea, Enos said.

Smith has warned that any other Arizona offer could help Florida by showing that Arizona isn’t unified. He wants other communities to help Mesa keep the Cubs, saying the tourism revenue is spread around the state.

“We’re better served if we only have one offer coming in from Arizona,” Smith said.

Enos said an alternate plan in Arizona could help in case the Cubs don’t like what Mesa offers yet want a “Plan B” in the state.

“From a resource standpoint, it can only help us as a state,” Enos said.

The differences between Mesa and the Gila River tribe have caused some tension, Enos said. The tribe was “disappointed” that Smith has suggested any tribal interest would undermine Arizona. Also, Smith has said he called the tribe to talk about the Cubs but couldn’t get a response, which Enos said was not the case.

Smith said he spoke with Lt. Gov. Joseph Manuel this week and that there is “no animosity.” There were even jokes about the Cubs, Smith said.

'working together’

In Mesa, potential locations include the former General Motors Proving Ground site now owned by Scottsdale-based DMB Associates.

Another site is owned by the developer of Longbow Golf Club, where more than 150 undeveloped acres are available. Longbow developer Robert McNichols said other landowners interested in the Cubs consider each other friends and would likely fight for Mesa even if their land was ruled out.

“We’re all working together, and what we want to see is that the Cubs stay in Mesa,” McNichols said.

Another landowner is Innovative Sports Ventures, a firm that specializes in sports venue development and financing.

With offices in Scottsdale and Highland Park, Ill., — and developable land along the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway — CEO Tim Ummel said the company is uniquely positioned to be involved in a deal to keep the Cubs in Mesa.

“We feel we have the right site,’ said Ummel, declining to give a specific location. “We’ve got a very strong and powerful team.”

Mesa officials visited the Cubs in Chicago this fall and have already suggested the two sign a deal for a period of exclusive negotiations to ensure both sides can focus on a specific plan. City Manager Chris Brady said that will likely come up during the visit, though he acknowledged Florida has likely asked for the same.

$80 million complex

A new facility could seat more than the 13,000 that can fit into Hohokam Stadium. The Cubs are the biggest draw in the Cactus League, with twice the average attendance of the league’s 14 teams.

The Cubs have a $52 million annual economic benefit to Arizona, though keeping the team would prove costly. A stadium complex could cost $80 million, though no specific financial plan is in place. An unknown mix of local, regional and private funds would finance the development. The city considers that a daunting task but pointed out Florida likely faces the same challenges in rasing money.

“No matter who does this, there are hoops to jump through,” Brady said.