Arizona lawmakers have crafted a plan that includes a tax on all Cactus League tickets to help raise the $84 million needed to build the Cubs new Spring Training facility in Mesa.  The proposal drew immediate opposition from representatives of both the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox.

White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf was one of the first to voice his opposition to the plan.  I find his opposition to be not only hypocritical, but also very short-sighted.  After all, Reinsdorf was first in line when the City of Chicago implemented a tax to help fund the construction of U.S. Cellular Field, as well as the remodel of Soldier Field that took place a few years ago.  As I understand it, the tax continues to be collected and the White Sox still receive money to help with the maintenance of their ballpark. 

In referring to Reinsdorf hypocrisy, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said, “The irony is delicious.”  Smith was referring to the fact that Reinsdorf’s White Sox had a taxpayer funded Spring Training facility in Tucson which they abandoned in favor of a taxpayer funded facility in Glendale.  If it benefits him directly, Reinsdorf has no problem with taxpayer funding.

It’s important to point out that the funding scheme proposed by the Arizona Legislature does not tap in to any existing revenue streams the other 14 MLB owners have at their disposal.  The ticket surcharge will be paid by fans attending Spring Training games in Arizona and then will be passed on for use by the state to fund the Cubs Spring Training facility.  In other words, the proposal won’t cost the other owners a dime.

I don’t have any numbers to back this up, but my guess is that a significant chunk of the White Sox Spring Training revenue is generated because the Cubs are also in Arizona.  If the Cubs had decided to relocate their Spring Training home to Naples, the entire Cactus League would have suffered, but the White Sox would have likely suffered the most.

Reports indicate that the Cactus League generates approximately $128 million per year for the Arizona economy.  Of that amount, the Cubs generate approximately $50 million per year.  That’s quite a healthy chunk, especially considering that the Cubs are just one of 15 teams that train in Arizona.

Reinsdorf has always struck me as a bit of a baby.  Despite the fact that they won a World Series in 2005, the White Sox have not been able to unseat the Cubs as Chicago’s favorite team.  Reinsdorf has never tried to hide his disdain for the Cubs and this is just another example of him being opposed to something simply because it could benefit the Cubs.  It’s childish and short-sighted, but that’s par for the course with Reinsdorf.

To his credit, Cubs President Crane Kenney said the exact right thing when he was asked about Reinsdorf’s opposition.  “This is not our issue,” Kenney said.  “This is an issue for the State of Arizona to represent.”

Kenney is exactly right.  The Cubs didn’t make the proposal, the State of Arizona did.  The only thing the Cubs have done is give Arizona a year (or so) to put the funding in place.  If they can’t do it, the Cubs are free to turn to Naples or anywhere else they choose to negotiate a possible new Spring Training home.

This is Arizona’s problem and now they are going to have to deal with irrational opposition from the likes of Jerry Reinsdorf.  How Arizona handles this could determine whether or not they are able to put the funding in place to keep the Cubs in Mesa.