PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks will remain at Chase Field for the next 30 years after Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill appropriating $500 million for renovations.

Hobbs signed House Bill 2704 atop the Diamondbacks’ dugout as players warmed up for Wednesday’s game against the Texas Rangers. Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall and bill sponsor Rep. Jeff Weninger joined Hobbs for the ceremony.

“Throughout all of the unforgettable moments and the history made here, Chase Field has largely gone unchanged, never once undergoing major renovation,” Hobbs told reporters from near the dugout. “Fans have routinely shown up for this city, this state, and it’s time we show up for them.”

The bill will recapture sales taxes from the stadium and other adjacent buildings over the next 30 years and reinvest them into infrastructure at the retractable-roof structure, home of the Diamondbacks since they joined MLB as an expansion franchise in 1998. Chase Field is owned by the Maricopa County Stadium District.

The Arizona House of Representatives approved the bill in June.

“We’ve been looking for a solution for easily over seven years, a long-term solution here for Chase Field to find a way to fund all the necessary renovations and maintenance, and we’re now there,” Hall said. “It was a way to bring in that steady flow, along with our money, the team money. We’ve already put over $200 million into this facility. We’re committed to putting in at least another $250 million.”

Hall has said the stadium needs several upgrades, most notably to its air conditioning system, which is critical during Phoenix’s brutally hot summer months.

The team’s current lease with the county expires in 2027.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb