The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors made the latest move in the stadium power struggle with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The team requested it be able to explore other venues after the county said it would not pay for $187 million in deferred maintenance because the cost is the responsibility of the team.
After a closed-door meeting, the board voted Wednesday to have its attorney draft a letter in response to the Diamondbacks' latest demands and accusations. Maricopa County spokesperson Fields Moseley said the county is committed to keeping the team right where they are.
"A lot of conversations have happened in the past four years and those have been discussed widely for the past two weeks. The board of supervisors wants the partnership to move forward," said Moseley.
In a letter to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors last month, D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall asked to modify the terms of the 30-year lease between the county and the team that began in 1996 in order to explore the possibility of a new stadium.
When the county declined, Hall responded, "Although we thought we were making progress, it appears that you have thrown the gauntlet and have given us no real options at this stage."
The county expects its official response to be complete this week or by early next week.
