Cubs weigh options on future spring-training site

Look for the Cubs to make a decision on their spring-training future in January.

The goal, according to team president Crane Kenney, is for the Cubs to be in a new facility by 2012.

Whether that new facility is in their current and longtime spring home of Mesa, Ariz., or some other Arizona site, or Naples, Fla., remains to be seen. Recently, Kenney along with new team owner Tom Ricketts and members of the Ricketts family have heard presentations by representatives in both Florida and Arizona.

"Tom and the family are very invested in that decision," Kenney said Friday. "The way we're sizing this up is, 'Listen, we've had a great 50 years, roughly, in Arizona, and they've been great partners.'

"What Tom and the family are looking at is, 'Where should we spend our next 50 years?' Before we automatically commit to Arizona, we owe it to our team and our fans, and the goal here is we want to create the best training facility and the best venue for our fans for the next 50 years.

"Naples, Fla., has become a very viable option."

The Mesa people have cited the history of the Cubs there and the ease of Cactus League travel compared with Florida. Kenney said the Cubs indeed respect that history.

"It does mean something," Kenney said. "It means something to all of us. It means something to the Ricketts family. - The deciding factor will be training for the players. Tom has said, at the end of the day, if it's a push on all other fronts, where we can train the players to perform best is where we'll go.

"It won't be my decision, but from the attractiveness of the business offers, it's certainly even."

Ticket-price news: Crane Kenney said the Cubs are leaving season-ticket prices for 2010 "essentially flat for 50 percent of the house."

In a letter to season-ticket holders, the Cubs said: "For 2010, we did raise ticket prices in our most desired locations, however, and because those locations are reserved for our season-ticket holders, it is likely you will see an increase."

Most of the increases will come on the 26 "Platinum," or most desired, dates, followed by "Gold" dates. The "Silver" and "Bronze" dates saw few increases. However, the number of "Platinum" dates has risen from 14. The Cubs add that $9 tickets will continue to be available for select dates and that "there are more $9 game tickets available in 2010 than 2009."