TUCSON, Arizona — It's a routine Tucson Saguaros Pecos League home game, and there's barely anyone in the Kino Stadium stands for a game against the Austin Weirdos.
"It bothers me," said Mike Feder, a longtime Tucson minor league baseball general manager. "I'm one of the people who love Triple-A baseball."
Feder was general manager of the Tucson Toros during its early 1990s championship seasons. He was also in charge of the Tucson Padres. They were last in Pacific Coast League in attendance from 2011 through 2013.
"We were only supposed to be here one year," he reminds people about the Padres.
Feder points to what he calls an outdated Kino Stadium as the problem.
"When you see the AAA stadiums that are out there right now, they're beautiful."
One such stadium is the new $114 million dollar ballpark coming to Knoxville, Tennessee. The other issue for Tucson is a geographical one in that it doesn't fit in the AA Texas League or the A California league, both of which bus to games.
Now, the Southern Arizona Sports, Film, and Tourism Authority is stepping up the plate as it tries to bring back events, and possibly even teams to Tucson.
"We all felt the loss of spring training," said Pima College Vice President Edgar Soto. "People lost jobs. They lost opportunities."
Soto is the chair of this new Authority that was created from Senate Bill 1710. It is expected to work with six local counties and three tribal nations.
"I'm actually excited right now because I think there is a possibility for professional baseball," said Soto.
Soto is working on bringing back spring training baseball through international league play next year. As for Triple-A baseball, Feder isn't so sure.
"In my opinion, you need a new stadium, because Kino Stadium isn't acceptable for a Triple-A team," he says.
Soto isn't so sure, if, for example, the future Las Vegas A's need a Triple-A home that seats more than ten thousand fans.
"It's still a viable option," Soto says.
And, with the creation of this Authority, Soto says anything is possible, even a new ballpark.
"We've got to be ready and creative. I think we'll be in a good spot soon."
