Map of Phoenix-area Spring Training sites provided by the Cactus League.

Feature on Spring Training Ignores West Valley Sites

There is life west of Phoenix’s Central Avenue. But one would hardly know that from reading an article published today by the Phoenix Business Journal.

• The article (“Cactus League, cities try to wring more money out of stadiums with renovations, other events”) makes only one, vague reference to a couple of West Side facilities – in a quote from an employee at an East Side ballpark. And it doesn’t indicate that those are in the West Valley.
• In fact, nine of the 15 Cactus League teams are based west of Central Avenue. Three of the four Spring Training facilities opened in the last decade are in the West Valley: Suprise Stadium, Camelback Ranch and Goodyear Ballpark, which collectively host six teams.
• Despite quoting Cactus League President Mark Coronado extensively, the article fails to note that he works for the city of Surprise.
• The item discusses the city of Phoenix’s issues with Municipal Stadium on the East Side but makes no mention whatsoever of the city’s stadium issues in Maryvale on the West Side.

In reality, the Peoria Sports Complex is probably the Valley’s best case study in the creation, renovation and surrounding development of a Spring Training facility. And – Holy news peg, Batman! – it hosted Peoria’s annual P83 Party this past Saturday.

Many other Spring Training sites are surrounded by fields of dreams. Indeed, the Business Journal writer repeats, without questioning, a Mesa official’s ridiculous comparison of proposed development around Mesa Riverview to downtown Chicago’s Michigan Avenue.

There is an old saying: “Write what you know.” But that doesn’t apply to reporters, whose job is to follow the story wherever it may lead.

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NOTE: In fairness to the Business Journal, it published a separate story headlined “West Valley waits for return on big-ticket stadium investments.” Written by a Senior Reporter Mike Sunnucks rather than an intern, it relies more on numbers rather than quotes from officials tied to Spring Training. But it’s relentlessly downbeat compared with the first article.

Sunnucks’ most salient point is that while there are more Cactus League teams based in the West Valley, the East Valley teams collectively boast higher attendance figures. However, that has less to with location than with team identity. Among the East Valley teams are the hometown Arizona Diamondbacks, the perennially popular Chicago Cubs and the defending champion San Francisco Giants. And D’backs fans likely have less economic impact because most are local; they can eat and sleep at home.

The West Valley story also focuses heavily on problems for Glendale and Goodyear rather than more-successful economic development in Peoria and Surprise. And it doesn’t address the hole in the first story regarding use of Spring Training facilities the rest of the year.

Tags: Arizona Diamondbacks, Cactus League, Camelback Ranch, Chicago Cubs, D'backs, Glendale, Goodyear Ballpark, Mark Coronado, Maryvale, Mesa Riverview, Mike Sunnucks, P83, Peoria Sports Complex, Phoenix Business Journal, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, San Francisco Giants, Surprise Stadium