Slade Mead is chairman of the Governor's Commission for Arizona Baseball and Softball and is a former member of the Arizona Legislature.

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Related articles:

Spring-training backers eye 'amusements' taxSpring training's impact exceeds economic numbers Youth tourney is no substitute for spring team Business group's plan for baseball only a first step Tucson teams enjoy attendance increase

Other articles by Slade Mead:

Bipartisanship won dayGuest opinion: Lawmakers serve people, not party

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As a baseball fan, there is no better place to be in March than Arizona. Arizona spring training has grown leaps and bounds in the past 62 years. At first, it was only the Indians in Tucson and the Giants in Phoenix. Now, 12 Major League clubs call Arizona their springtime home and two more are on their way for 2009.

Cactus League attendance is up so far this year, even as fans must deal with a sluggish economy. This demonstrates what a tremendous economic asset spring training is to our state — and what kind of opportunities lie ahead for Arizona.

A 2007 Cactus League attendance survey showed that spring training has an impact of more than $310 million in Arizona — more than $30 million of which benefits Pima County.

The value of the Cactus League will grow as we add more clubs. The migration West will continue as clubs realize Arizona's advantages over Florida. We enjoy much better weather, significantly shorter travel times for clubs, excellent access for fans with world-class airports in Tucson and Phoenix, and plenty of possibilities for expansion.

The growth of the Cactus League must involve both of Arizona's spring training destinations — Pima and Maricopa counties. As chairman of the Governor's Commission for Arizona Baseball and Softball, the governor and I want to preserve and grow spring training in Pima County.

A growing Cactus League will have to prosper in Pima County if Arizona is going to expand spring training in Arizona and attract more clubs from Florida.

There has been a lot of attention to baseball woes in Tucson of late — especially the White Sox moving in 2009. But the governor and I are continuing to help any effort that keeps spring training in Tucson.

Let's look toward the future. The fact is that Pima County has an edge in many areas for clubs seeking a great spring training home. Perhaps the greatest advantage enjoyed by Tucson is that it has a facility that will be ready for immediate use by a major-league club. No other community in Arizona has this advantage, and any other club would have to spend years laying groundwork for a new ballpark.

Tucson offers the kind of attractions for visiting fans and clubs available in a large metropolitan area, such as air service, an advantage not all Florida spring training locations can claim (try flying into Vero Beach or Jupiter).

Travel is also easier among Cactus League spring training parks in Tucson and Phoenix; and growth areas like Marana provide good prospective homes for future major-league clubs that may be interested in moving to Arizona down the road.

Consistent with her goal to help efforts to keep spring training in Tucson, the governor has repeatedly met with the ownership of the clubs in Tucson, and has been working with leaders in Tucson business to discuss what they can do to maximize Tucson's advantages.

We are seeing positive results from these efforts. Pima County is working on creating an authority similar to the one that exists in Maricopa County, which will help renovate existing Pima County ballparks and help attract new clubs. The private sector in Tucson has also been integral to this effort and has formed an advisory group to help the process along.

The governor and I will continue to support these efforts. Spring training in Arizona can only be at its strongest when all the advantages of Tucson and Pima County are maximized.

This spring especially, we're seeing what an economic and cultural asset the Cactus League can be to our state. Let's continue to work together to make the most of it in the years to come.