In Scottsdale, four decades of spring training partnership
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It’s been 42 years since the San Francisco Giants became Scottsdale’s Spring Training home team. Four decades of games, sunshine and fun at the intersection of Drinkwater Boulevard and Osborn Road have benefited the local economy while also strengthening the relationship between the San Francisco Giants, the Scottsdale Charros and passionate baseball fans.
Those baseball fans are an important component of Scottsdale’s multi-billion-dollar tourism industry. As they are each year, Giants fans were well-represented among Scottsdale’s 10.8 million annual visitors in 2022, who all combined generated $3.2 billion in economic impact and over $37 million in sales tax revenue allocated to the city’s general fund. In addition, visitors generated nearly $33 million in bed tax collections, which support special events and capital improvement projects.
In fact, the bed tax was first established by Scottsdale voters in 1977 to support stadium improvements, and it continues to support renovations today – allowing the Scottsdale Charros to improve offerings for those important spring training visitors and local fans alike. The Scottsdale Charros have played host to Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium for more than 60 years, welcoming millions of fans and boosting the Scottsdale economy as well.
The Charros were founded as goodwill ambassadors and today are a multi-faceted, multi-generational organization with a single mission: to support Scottsdale’s youth, education and community while preserving the city’s Western heritage. With a history of innovative fundraising, the Charros have leveraged Spring Training baseball as a chief economic driver in Scottsdale.
Just beyond the bullpen in right field of Scottsdale Stadium is the Charro Lodge, an exclusive shaded enclave that features premium food, beverages and great views of the field. Funds raised through the sale of Charro Lodge passes and stadium advertising are donated back to the community, making the Charros one of the community’s largest philanthropic contributors.
The Charro Lodge concept has existed in various forms around the stadium since 1996. Major renovations of Scottsdale Stadium undertaken by the city and Charros – with funding from those visitor-generated bed-tax dollars – in partnership with the Giants have given the Charro Lodge its permanent home with accommodations for up to 550 baseball fans. Other recent enhancements have included a practice facility, new entrances, reconfigured right-field seating, a team shop and additional training facilities east of the stadium.
The Scottsdale Charros, along with Scottsdale hospitality businesses, have cemented themselves as the ultimate hosts for the baseball fans that descend upon the city each spring. That hospitality has a real, economic benefit to everyone who calls Scottsdale home.
The new stadium, coupled with the Charros’ hospitality and the passion of Giants fans, attracts more than 200,000 visitors each year. Baseball fans visiting Scottsdale stay an average of 5.5 nights and spend an average of $200 per night on hotels and an average of $446 per day around town at local businesses. Studies conducted by Experience Scottsdale – the city’s tourism organization tasked with the mission to establish Scottsdale as a year-round luxury travel destination – have found that tourism and tourism promotion have wide-ranging economic development benefits, going even beyond those impactful dollars that support Scottsdale’s businesses and improve overall quality of life. Experience Scottsdale’s promotions are crucial in generating awareness and excitement about the seasons each year.
Spring training baseball and Charro Lodge proceeds have allowed the Scottsdale Charros and the Charro Foundation to donate millions back to the community through grants to local charities and schools, students and teachers in the Scottsdale Unified School District. Thanks to their creativity and continued investment, the Charros have ensured a great experience for all who attend a Scottsdale spring training baseball game in the Charro Lodge. Learn how you can join the fun at SpringTraining.com.
This commentary was submitted on behalf of Experience Scottsdale, the Scottsdale Charros and the San Francisco Giants. Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
