Diamondbacks Derrick Hall Gives Updates on HB 2704 and Chase Field

The Team President and CEO was on hand for a special media event and answered questions as the Chase Field renovation funding bill winds it's way through the legislative process.

Arizona Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall with Chef Steve Tilder and Special Assistant Luis Gonzalez at Chase Field March 18 2025 | Jack Sommers

Arizona Diamondbacks President, CEO, and General Partner Derrick Hall was at Chase Field today for the team's annual presentation of "What's New at Chase."

New food items, promotional dates, and giveaways were introduced to the media. Following the festivities and introductions, Hall answered questions from reporters on a number of topics.

HB 2704 Chase Field Renovation Funding

The Arizona State House passed a bill, HB 2704 by a vote of 35 to 25, approving a measure that would allow for taxes generated on sales at Chase Field, as well as employee income taxes, to be directed to a fund that would help pay for stadium renovations. Otherwise known as tax recapture, the bill has been with the Arizona State Senate since March 4.

"We think it could go through committee next week," said Hall. "And so then it would go to the floor. Obviously, we had a big first step with the House. We've got to get through the Senate, and then I'm confident that the governor's in support. We're getting there. We're inching our way."

Hall added that he did not expect the bill to change much from a deal standpoint. He also emphasized the bill is getting bipartisan support. Of the seven State Senate sponsors, four are Republican and three are Democrat.

Chase Field Roof

The roof will be able to open and close with fans in the stadium in 2025, albeit at a slower pace than in years past. Hall said that the roof will now take between five and 10 minutes to open and close. The dramatic music accompanying the opening may not be be a fit in the current iteration however.

"It is functional again, which is great, so we fixed the issues. However, we're still going to operate it on a much slower level, on the slowest level, so I'm not sure it's going to be the ordinary opening and closing that you've seen in the past, because it'll take a little longer to open," Hall said.

The team will be able to open it during a game or after a game for all of their postgame needs, including fireworks shows.

Chase Field AC System

Upgrading the Chase Field air conditioning is not something they will be able to get to before they have a deal in place for stadium renovation.

"It's not something we can do yet. It would be top of the list, obviously. But we tinkered with the system so much last year and tried new procedures, and we think we figured out really how to cool this place down."

Chase Field AC is linked to a cooling system that services multiple building downtown, including the convention center, office buildings, and hotels. "We start cooling much earlier. We try and keep doors closed. And it really worked by the end of the year," Hall said.

International Market

With the Los Angeles Dodgers opening in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, Hall was asked his thoughts about the Diamondbacks getting to open on an international stage again, like they did in Australia back in 2014.

The D-backs were supposed to play in Hermosillo, Mexico in 2020 before that got shut down by the pandemic. Getting to open in Mexico is a priority for Hall.

"To me, I just keep asking them, you know, we're being a border state. I'd really like to get to Mexico. We have so many fans. It was something we were really looking forward to, and I want to get back in that rotation in Mexico," Hall said.

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