Mesa mayor prepares to lobby Cubs to stay at Hohokam Park

PHOENIX -- The prestige not to mention the money the Chicago Cubs bring to Mesa every spring is reason enough to make a strong pitch to keep the team training there.

The Cubs informed Mesa they may leave if the city can't improve its spring training facilities and add more seats at Hohokam Park.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is putting a delegation together to meet with Cubs officials in Chicago about what the city can do to keep the National League team. With the city hurting financially, Smith acknowledges keeping the Cubs in Mesa will be a struggle.

The Cubs can leave Mesa in 2012 because of an opt-out provision. That means the Cubs could move to another part of the Phoenix-area or leave the state entirely, possibly to Florida.