Phoenix could be losing its grip on spring-training baseball even as the Cactus League looks to attract more teams to the Valley from Florida.
The city has been working hard to try to keep the Milwaukee Brewers in Maryvale and the Oakland Athletics at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, but both teams are considering other options for when their leases expire in 2012 and 2014, respectively, said Rob Harman, Phoenix deputy parks director.
The Arizona Republic has learned that Phoenix and the A's did not extend their contract agreement this past spring despite public announcements in April that the deal was imminent.
“I expect the A's and Brewers will both be moving, but exactly where is to be determined,” said Robert Johnson, a Cactus League advocate who ran Mesa's campaign to publicly fund a new Chicago Cubs stadium.