Cardinals win chance to ask voters for stadium

PHOENIX (AP) -- A plan to build a new stadium for the Arizona Cardinals is headed for the ballot. <br><br>The House voted 31-27 late Tuesday to put a $331 million stadium financing package before Maricopa

Wednesday, April 19th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PHOENIX (AP) -- A plan to build a new stadium for the Arizona Cardinals is headed for the ballot.

The House voted 31-27 late Tuesday to put a $331 million stadium financing package before Maricopa County voters this fall. The measure was sent to Gov. Jane Hull, who said she will sign it.

The Cardinals say they need a new stadium -- and the additional revenue that comes with it -- to remain financially competitive in the NFL. The league has also said that if Arizona wants a Super Bowl, it needs a new facility.

Since the team moved to Tempe from St. Louis 12 years ago, it has played home games at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium. Last season, the Cardinals were the only NFL team playing its home games at a college facility.

"This plan is an excellent one and we're pleased it is going to the voters," Cardinals Vice President Michael Bidwill said. "We believe that when voters learn about all of the benefits of the plan, we're hopeful they'll support it."

Only a day earlier, the House had rejected the proposal, but seven representatives their votes after an intense lobbying effort by the Cardinals, hundreds of fans and Speaker Jeff Groscost.

Under the plan, the Cardinals would pay $85 million and the Fiesta Bowl $10 million to build a 73,000-seat domed stadium with a partially retractable roof and a slide-in grass field.

The rest of the money would come from increased taxes on rental cars and hotel rooms plus stadium-related sales taxes and income taxes on professional football players and Cardinals employees. The city that becomes the site for the stadium would have to provide land and improvements that could add $75 million to the total cost.

In return, the Cardinals would get access to new moneymaking opportunities, starting with naming rights to the stadium and other advertising. The team also would be able to profit from luxury seating, parking and concessions.

Bidwill said the amount to be paid by Arizona taxpayers compares favorably with other stadium projects. He noted that this stadium depends on tourist taxes rather than a general sales tax.

"This one has about the least impact of any stadium deal I've seen," he said.

Besides building a stadium, the deal would provide some money for improving Cactus League spring training baseball facilities, promoting tourism and youth sports facilities.