Top Menu

Pima County: Let’s Talk Milwaukee Brewers Tucson Move

Kino Stadium

While we think there’s virtually no chance of a Milwaukee Brewers Tucson move, Pima County officials reached out to the team and offered up Kino Sports Complex and Kino Stadium as a replacement for Maryvale Baseball Park.

Kino Stadium — then known as Tucson Electric Park — was formerly spring home to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox before the opening of Salt River Fields and Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Since then the ballpark has served as home to MiLB and independent baseball, and the training complex has hosted pro soccer, youth sports and MLS spring training. But Kino County officials have never given up efforts to bring spring training to Tucson, despite the city being more than 100 miles from Phoenix. And, with word that the Brewers and a developer were pitching a new spring training complex and development in the suburb of Gilbert, Kino County officials decided to toss their hat in the ring. From the Tucson Star:

County officials sent a 17-page package to the Milwaukee Brewers last week, touting Kino Sports Complex and Kino Stadium. The letter concluded with an invitation for Brewers executive vice president Bob Quinn to visit for a tour. Kino served as the Chicago White Sox’s spring home from 1998-2008, and hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks from 1998-2009.

“I would be most interested in showing you the Kino Sports Complex when you are available, as well as introduce you to our county officials and tourism staff,” wrote Reenie Ochoa, Pima County Stadium District director….

Pima County’s letter touts Kino Stadium’s “four clubhouses, full service concessions operations, press box, eight private upper level (suites) and 3,000+ parking spaces” at the 11,000-seat park.

What killed Kino Stadium as a spring-training site wasn’t the actual ballpark or even the training complex, but the distance between Tucson and Phoenix. One of the big advantages to Cactus League spring training these days is the close proximity between the camps, but a move by one team to Tucson would cause some serious issues for both the Brewers and the rest of the Cactus League teams.

, , , , ,

Comments are closed.