While the final details still need to be worked out, the Oakland Athletics and the city of Mesa have signed a memorandum of understanding for the A's to train at HoHoKam Park and Fitch Park, beginning in 2015.
The A's currently train at Phoenix Municipal Stadium and Papago Park under a lease that ends in 2014. The team and Phoenix negotiated upgrades to Phoenix Muni but couldn't come to an agreement, causing Lew Wolff and the A's braintrust to be open to a pitch from Mesa to move spring-training operations to HoHoKam Park. That ballpark, as well as the Fitch Park training facility, will be open after the Chicago Cubs move to a new spring facility in 2014.
Still to be worked out: the exact upgrades to HoHoKam Park and Fitch Park. Mesa has pledged at least $15 million toward ballpark and training-camp upgrades; any spending past that will be bourne equally by the team and the A's. Among the ballpark improvements: a revamp of the center-field concessions and the establishment of a food-truck area.
A final agreement should be reached before the end of the month.
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