SCOTTSDALE -- The A's announced this morning they have reached a 20-year agreement to hold spring training in Mesa beginning in 2015, ending their association with Phoenix Municipal Stadium after 32 years.
The agreement includes two five-year team options that could stretch the contract to 30 years. Beginning in 2015 the A's will hold workouts at Fitch Park and play spring training games at Hohokam Stadium, where the Cubs currently play.
The facilities are scheduled to undergo $20 million in renovations in 2014 after the Cubs vacate them at the end of this year. The A's announced that under the agreement, the City of Mesa will pay $17.5 million -- including $8.2 million in funding from the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority -- and the A's will pay $2.5 million of the renovations.
Owner and managing partner Lew Wolff said in a statement the A's are "extremely excited about our future spring home and want to thank the City of Mesa for all their hard work and cooperation in making this agreement possible.
"With the improvements planned over the next two years, we believe Hohokam Stadium and surrounding facilities will rival any in Major League Baseball. Our players and coaches, as well as our great fans, will be the beneficiaries."
The A's formerly trained in Mesa from 1969-78, playing spring games at Hohokam Stadium in 1977. Upgrades to the stadium will include a new scoreboard, re-seating, a remodeled home clubhouse and weight rooms and a field replacement, according to a news release.
The A's have played games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium since 1982.
-- Matt Kawahara
Matt Kawahara was born in Sacramento and attended McClatchy High School and UC Berkeley, where he wrote for the independent student paper The Daily Californian. He graduated from Cal in 2010 and started at The Sacramento Bee as a summer intern. He joined The Bee’s sports staff in fall 2011.
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