SPRING TRAINING GUIDE CACTUS LEAGUE FUN IN THE SUN FOR BASEBALL FANS, it’s like a dream Scottsdale and the Valley of the Sun metro region, come true. Imagine a place where, every day for a beginning in mid-February when pitchers and whole month at 1:00 in the afternoon, you can catchers report to their respective teams’ spring choose between as many as eight to 10 Major training camps, and runs through late March with League Baseball games being played by 15 teams more than 200 games on the Cactus League in 10 of the most intimate ballparks in the country. schedule. So, get ready to live the dream and let This dreamlike scenario unfolds every spring in this guide show you how! GET TICKETS San Francisco Giants Colorado Rockies Arizona Diamondbacks 877.4SF.GTIX 888.490.0383 888.490.0383 mlb.com/giants/spring-training or mlb.com/rockies/spring-training mlb.com/dbacks/spring-training springtraining.com (for Charro Lodge VIP packages) CACTUS LEAGUE HISTORY Scottsdale’s longtime home team, the San Francisco Giants, has called Scottsdale Stadium its spring home since 1984, but the squad has roots in the desert dating back to 1947, making it one of the Cactus League’s two founding franchises. HISTORY Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe and the Salt River The New York Giants’ then-owner Horace Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Stoneham was inspired to move his team’s spring training operation from St. Petersburg, SCOTTSDALE’S HOME TEAMS FL to Phoenix in 1947 after a serendipitous Scottsdale is home to three of the Cactus dip in the Buckhorn Mineral Baths in nearby League’s heaviest hitters. The three-time Mesa. He found the natural baths’ therapeutic World Champion San Francisco Giants take properties and the warm desert climate quite on the competition in the heart of Old Town conducive to spring training preparation, and at Scottsdale Stadium. A short drive north, the Giants began playing home exhibition the past two wild-card winners, the Colorado games at the original Phoenix Municipal Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks play at Stadium at the corner of Central and Mohave Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, located on the near the current Chase Field in downtown Scottsdale Stadium was an immediate success Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Phoenix. Stoneham found a willing spring and provided a historical cornerstone for the training partner in Cleveland Indians’ owner Cactus League. The timing couldn’t have Bill Veeck, who agreed to move his team’s been better as Major League Baseball was spring operation from Clearwater, FL to beginning its westward expansion with the New Tucson that same year. York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers moving to San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively, The Chicago Cubs became the third team to in 1958. By 2009, the Cactus League had offi cially conduct spring training in Arizona at reached its current high-water mark with 15 Mesa’s Rendezvous Park in 1952. When the teams conducting spring training in close Baltimore Orioles landed in Yuma in 1954, proximity to each other across the greater Arizona’s spring circuit was offi cially dubbed Phoenix metro region. What began in 1947 with the “Cactus League.” The same Orioles would one team in Phoenix and another Tucson has become the fi rst team to play at the original expanded into the west-Valley cities of Peoria, Scottsdale Stadium in 1956. Maryvale, Glendale and Goodyear, as well as RETURNING IN 2020! INNINGS FESTIVAL The Innings Festival returns to Tempe Beach Park Feb. 29 – March 1, 2020. This two-day music festival features performers across three stages. In addition to continuous live music, guests can enjoy culinary demonstrations, family activities and appearances by professional baseball players. inningsfestival.com EXPERIENCE SCOTTSDALE | SpringTrainingInScottsdale.com | 800.782.1117 2 SCOTTSDALE STADIUM It’s hard to believe that the regal red-brick and green-awning Scottsdale Stadium still sits on the same corner where the original wooden bandbox was built in 1955. Originally opened by the Baltimore Orioles in 1956, Scottsdale Stadium has served as the spring training home for more teams than any other Cactus League facility. HISTORY the game and surrounding mountain ranges, FIVE NEARBY ATTRACTIONS Following a design by HOK Sport (now Popu- including famed Camelback Mountain. Scottsdale Stadium is located in the heart of lous), Scottsdale Stadium was rebuilt in 1992 historic downtown, which means an all-star on the same property as the original 1956 sta- Other seating options throughout the ballpark line-up of restaurants, shops, art galleries, dium. In 2019, Populous and AECOM Hunt re- include grass lawns, stadium seats, bleacher museums and nightclubs is just a short walk modeled portions of the stadium, including new seats, and standing platforms. or trolley ride away. Here are fi ve don’t-miss clubhouse and team facilities, new home plate attractions just a fl y ball’s distance from the lawn and entry plaza, upgraded suites and stadium: party spaces, and a remodel of the celebrated Charro Lodge & Pavilion party decks. Giving a 1. Rusty Spur Saloon nod to the original all-wood stadium, the new Enjoy live music and dancing at Scottsdale’s clubhouse, home plate plaza, and event facili- oldest cowboy bar. ties include board-formed concrete walls with rustyspursaloon.com a wooden look. Be on the lookout for public art features integrated into each of the entry gates 2. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and throughout the stadium property. Cutting-edge exhibits by renowned national and international artists. The Scottsdale Charros, a non-profi t civic smoca.org organization comprised of local business leaders, has helped promote and staff Spring OPENING DAY 2020 3. Soleri Bridge & Plaza Training in Scottsdale since its founding in 1961. The 2020 Cactus League Season begins at A stunning pedestrian bridge designed by The Charro Lodge is the ultimate VIP experi- Scottsdale Stadium on Feb. 22 with the classic Paolo Soleri that tracks solar movement. ence, off ering patio-style seating, all-inclusive match-up between the San Francisco Giants scottsdalepublicart.org food and drink, and a commemorative game and Los Angeles Dodgers. program included with the price of admission. 4. Scottsdale Fashion Square The newly renovated party decks include three The Southwest’s premier shopping destination levels with spectacular panoramic views of boasts more than 250 upscale retailers. fashionsquare.com 5. RnR Gastropub SCOTTSDALE GIANT RACE Specializing in modern twists on America's Lace up your running shoes and enjoy classic comfort foods, RnR boasts boldly Scottsdale’s gorgeous spring weather innovative chefs, imported Italian coff ees, during the annual Giant Race on Feb. brunch specials and an 1,800-bottle wine 29, 2020! The 10K & 5K races tour scenic cellar. Scottsdale before fi nishing on the fi eld at rnrscottsdale.com Scottsdale Stadium, the Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants. All fi nishers receive a commemorative shirt and medal! View the Giants Full Schedule race-sfgiants.com/scottsdale EXPERIENCE SCOTTSDALE | SpringTrainingInScottsdale.com | 800.782.1117 3 SALT RIVER FIELDS AT TALKING STICK The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community borders Scottsdale to the east and is home to one of the area's premier baseball facilities – Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Two of Major League Baseball’s more recent expansion franchises, the Colorado Rockies (1993) and Arizona Diamondbacks (1998), spent their spring training histories in Tucson before coming to Salt River Fields when it opened in 2011. HISTORY FIVE NEARBY ATTRACTIONS The first Major League facility to be built on Salt River Fields is located within the Talking Native American land, Salt River Fields set an Stick Cultural & Entertainment Destination, all-time spring training attendance record in owned and operated by the Salt River Pima- its first season and has consistently been in Maricopa Indian Community. Must-see nearby the top three in Cactus League attendance attractions include: ever since. The facility’s name was carefully chosen to represent the culture of the 1. The Pavilions at Talking Stick community. “Fields” refers not only to the Home to more than 60 stores, restaurants, facility’s 12 practice fields but the community’s Road House Cinemas and Octane Raceway. long agricultural history. “Talking Stick” is a historical reference to a traditional Pima 2. OdySea in the Desert calendar stick where significant events and Scottsdale’s entertainment destination milestones were recorded. And the slogan, bars are located in the right- and left-field consisting of Butterfly Wonderland, Pangea “Bringing Baseball Back Home,” is a reference corner nooks and the Cold Stone Kids’ Fun Land of the Dinosaurs and OdySea Aquarium. to the region’s historical ties to ball and stick Field features a whiffle ball field that opens 70 games and rituals previously practiced in the minutes before the first pitch and closes at the 3. Huhugam Ki Museum region. In fact, ball courts created by Arizona’s end of the seventh-inning-stretch. Dedicated to the lifestyle, history and culture indigenous peoples existed within a few miles of the Akimel Au-Authm (Pima) and Xalychidom of where the Salt River Fields ballpark stands OPENING DAY 2020 Piipaash (Maricopa) tribes. today. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado discoversaltriver.com Rockies compete in their Cactus League The 11,000-seat stadium was created by HKS season opener at Salt River Fields on Feb. 22. 4. Casino Gaming at Talking Stick Resort and features shaded ramadas, a winding More than 800 slot machines, 50 table games concourse, lush lawn seating, stadium seating and Arizona’s largest poker room, The Arena. and two large party decks. A pair of restaurant 5. Talking Stick Golf Club Two full-length, championship courses designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.