(Photo by Matthew Casey, KJZZ)

Maricopa County Supervisor Denny Barney (right) talks with reporters as supervisors Clint Hickman (left) and Steve Chucri look on. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to take the first step toward possibly selling Chase Field.

maricopa.gov

Chase Field in downtown Phoenix.

Maricopa County officials have unanimously approved taking the first step toward selling Chase Field to private owners.

The Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to sign a letter of intent with the group of potential buyers. It allows Maricopa County to choose an appraiser for the stadium, and lets the buyers inspect the facility.

But before those plans can go forward, the Arizona Diamondbacks have to approve them. The team and the county have exchanged verbal punches for months over who should pay for upgrades on the less than 20-year-old facility that cost taxpayers $238-million.

The sales process started when an attorney for the buyers approached Supervisor Steve Churcri.

“I think gone are the days where the taxpayers are going to fund stadiums, coliseums, whatever you want to call them,” Chucri said.

Votes cast by Chucri and others allow the county to step aside and let potential buyers negotiate directly with the Diamondbacks.

Maricopa County can’t afford the upgrades and selling Chase Field could be a way to make everyone happy, said Supervisor Denny Barney.

“We want to figure out how to keep the D’Backs playing in Chase Field,” Barney said. “Not just through the end of the 2027 season, or the contract term of 2028, but for much longer than that.”

The minimum price for the stadium is $60 million. A sale would include the facility, and the land underneath it.

“This a multi-step process,” said attorney Nick Wood, who represents the buyers. “This is just the first step. I can’t publicly comment on any of the future steps. I think it would be inappropriate to do that.”