The San Francisco Giants, one of the Cactus League's original teams, will continue spring training in Scottsdale for 20 more years.

The Scottsdale City Council voted to extend the City's relationship with the Giants and the Scottsdale Charros, a charitable organization that has operated spring training since 1964.

The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority is expected to consider the proposal later this month.

"The agreement keeps a franchise with a great history in a downtown filled with baseball history," said Mayor Mary Manross. "There's no better way to celebrate 50 years of spring training in Scottsdale."

"The Giants have enjoyed a wonderful partnership with Scottsdale and its citizens and we are delighted to continue spring training in Scottsdale through 2025," said Larry Baer, Giants executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Scottsdale Stadium and Indian School Park serve as our homes away from home during the months of February and March and are as much a part of our history as Seals Stadium, Candlestick Park and SBC Park. We look forward to working with the city and the Charros to continue on with this rich tradition for decades to come."

"We're thrilled that our organization can stay involved in another 20 years of spring training," said Kirk Johnson, a Charros board member. "We appreciate the support we receive from the Giants and the community for the charitable work we do."

The estimated economic impact of spring training in Scottsdale was nearly $16 million in 2004, according to estimates from the city's Economic Vitality Department.

The agreement calls for a new training field and a smaller practice infield just east of Scottsdale Stadium and upgrades to the stadium and the team's existing training facilities at Indian School Park. Total cost of the new facilities and upgrades is estimated at $23.1 million.

Plans developed by the city, the Giants and the Scottsdale Charros call for the following improvements and renovations:

• East of the stadium -- One new practice field, a practice infield, pitching mounds, batting tunnels and other training facilities will be built on about 4 acres of vacant land owned by the city. The project will require the closure of 75th Street between Osborn Road and 2nd Street. The new practice field will not be lighted. It will include removable safety netting ranging from 75 to 100 feet in height along the outfield wall.
• At the stadium - The team clubhouse, parking lot, entry gate, ticket booth and team store will be renovated and enlarged. The right field bullpen, entry gates, berm and restrooms will be reconfigured to accommodate the new practice field to the east.
• At Indian School Park - The current indoor training facilities will be renovated and enlarged from about 12,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet. The additions will not affect the space available for the current Club SAR facility. The city will renovate the four existing practice fields to improve drainage. The city will complete plans to expand lighting from one field to all four. The two southern practice fields will remain available for public use when not used by the Giants.

The plan calls for construction to occur in two phases, first at the stadium and then at the Indian School Park location. All improvements are tentatively scheduled to be complete by February 2007.

• In phase one, between June 2005 and February 2006, the city will complete all stadium improvements, except for additional parking. The two southern fields at Indian School Park also will be improved during this phase.
• In phase two, between April 2006 and February 2007, the city will complete all improvements at Indian School Park.

The construction timeline is tentative and may be changed with the agreement of all parties. No construction will take place at either location during spring training. This phased approach will allow the Giants to continue training activities by alternating between the two facilities.

Scottsdale will request $20 million in funding from the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority (AZSTA). It is expected that about two-thirds of the funding will come from AZSTA funds designated for Cactus League improvements, and the remaining financing will be from funds made available to AZSTA through an intergovernmental agreement with the Maricopa County Stadium District, which also has funding designated for the Cactus League.

Scottsdale has budgeted $3.1 million for portions of the proposal that will aid spring training and benefit the city in other ways, such as expanded parking in the downtown area.

Under the agreement, the Giants will continue spring training in Scottsdale through 2025, and have options to extend their contract to 2035.

The Giants have held spring training in Arizona for more than five decades. The San Francisco Giants are spending their 58th Spring Training in Arizona, 24th consecutive in Scottsdale and 54th straight spring camp in the Desert. The Giants first trained in Arizona from 1947-50 as the New York Giants, then spent one spring in St. Petersburg, FL in 1951 before returning to Arizona in 1952. Prior to moving to Scottsdale in 1982, San Francisco trained in Casa Grande and played its home games in Phoenix.

The original Scottsdale Stadium was built by a group of local businessmen to bring the Baltimore Orioles to the city in 1956. It was updated through the years and played host to the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Oakland A's. The Giants moved to the stadium in 1982. It was rebuilt on the original site in 1992.