Scottsdale Fields $18M Plan to Keep Giants

SCOTTSDALE, AZ-In a bid to keep the San Francisco Giants from leaving the city, local officials are considering a plan to turn the Coronado Golf Course into an $18-million spring training facility for the team.

Bill Exham, general manager of community services for the city, tells GlobeSt.com that the Giants and Scottsdale Charros, which has the contract with the team, have been talking with city officials for years about the need for more ball fields near Scottsdale Stadium, the Giants’ spring training ballpark. “In order for them to stay here, they wanted to expand their facilities,” says Exham, noting that the city’s willingness to negotiate with the team was largely due to the Giants’ $13-million economic impact on the city. He says the city identified several sites, but found the golf course location ideally suited for the ball fields the team is demanding.