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Greater Phoenix CVB Launches Spring Training Media Tour, Entices Out-of-State Visitors to Catch Cactus League Baseball 2005
January 28 , 2005 by EditorAs the temperatures hover in the teens in many parts of the U.S., hospitality officials from the Greater Phoenix CVB (GPCVB) are now pitching the destination for Spring Training Cactus League games in March.In addition to enjoying a fair share of double plays, switch hitters and big-time prospects, visitors to Greater Phoenix can expect to take in an abundance of March sunshine as well. The Cactus League grows more and more popular each year, as indicated by the record-breaking 1.24 million fans who attended Cactus League games in 2004.
The league has catapulted forward since its humble beginnings in 1954, when the first collection of teams to train in the Sonoran Desert included the Orioles, Indians, Giants and Cubs. Now, nine MLB teams make Greater Phoenix their home each spring. Three additional teams train in Tucson, and also play frequent games in the Valley.
The GPCVB will make appearances in the following cities to pitch the Cactus League to media and fans: Dallas/Fort. Worth (Texas Rangers), Chicago (Chicago Cubs), Seattle (Seattle Mariners), Kansas City (Kansas City Royals), and the San Francisco/Oakland Bay area (San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics).
The GPCVB, with several additional partners, will host media events for the next several weeks. Sales representatives will also be on hand to lure visitors to the region. A third annual media luncheon is scheduled for this week at the Ameriquest Field in Arlington, Texas – home of the Texas Rangers. The GPCVB’s event partners include the City of Surprise, Glendale Office of Tourism, Arizona Office of Tourism and the Scottsdale CVB. The Rangers, who hold a press conference on the same day, work closely with the above industry partners to organize the event.
The GPCVB will also meet with media at the annual Chicago Cubs Convention in Chicago later this week.
“More than half of all Spring Training fans in Greater Phoenix are from out of state,” explained Doug MacKenzie, director of communications for the Greater Phoenix CVB. “So, our industry and the public at large realize the importance of bringing additional visitor dollars to our communities, and region.
“More and more fans are planning baseball-related trips with friends and family, and they also get to enjoy more than 200 golf courses, a dynamic cultural scene, spectacular cuisine, three dozen resorts and a lot more."
Arizona’s economy, including Maricopa County, can expect to reap total attendee-based expenditures of more $161 million, which was the total for the state in March of 2003, according to a study performed by FMR Associates, Inc. Fan numbers have increased since then, and with the amount of low-fare flights available to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport this year, in addition to an improving economy, Cactus League attendance is expected to be on the increase again.
“We hope to duplicate our record-breaking season this year,” said J.P. de la Montaigne, president of the Cactus League. “It’s a new year and a new season, but we fully expect the same heavy dose of great weather and excited fans this March.”
The Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau is a non-profit organization that markets Greater Phoenix as a year-round convention and visitor destination. Tourism is a $14 billion industry for the State of Arizona with more than 13 million people visiting Phoenix each year. The visitor industry provides approximately 250,000 jobs in the Greater Phoenix area.
