Sloan Park – Chicago Cubs Spring Training
- Lloyd Brown
- Mar 22
- 5 min read
Photos by Lloyd Brown and Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Sloan Park 2330 W Rio Salado Pkwy Mesa, AZ 85201
Year Opened: 2014
Capacity: 15,000
Wrigleyville West
The Chicago Cubs have called multiple locations as their spring training home over their long history. Sites have included Catalina Island and Long Beach in California, Jackson, Mississippi, Tampa, Florida, and Scottsdale and Mesa in Arizona. They have resided in their current home in Sloan Park since 2014. The park opened as Cubs Park in 2014 before adopting the Sloan Park name as part of a marketing partnership with the Sloan Valve Company.
Food & Beverage 4
There are six concession stands and several portable carts spread around Sloan Park. They carry both Chicagoland favorites and Southwestern specialties.
Chicago favorites are available at both the Windy City and Taste of Chicago stands. They carry Chicago Dogs, Chicago-style pizza and several Chicago-based beers like Old Style to remind patrons of home. These stands are in the left field and home plate areas of the park.
Left field is home to the North Side stand. It offers burgers, hot dogs, tater tots, Impossible Burgers and Beyond Brats. The Rendezvous stand near the first base gate offers a similar menu. The World of Brews stand in left field serves Budweiser products (Harry Caray thanks you!), as well as Corona and Dos Equis beers.
Drink rails are located along the concourses, allowing fans to enjoy their beverages in a shaded area.
In addition to the permanent stands, there are food trucks stationed amongst a citrus grove behind the right field berm. These trucks are rotated on a frequent basis, so fans can experience many different tastes. This area also provides some shade to enjoy your meal, as it offers picnic tables, so you won’t have to worry about spilling your food on your lap!
Atmosphere 4
The Cubs have created a very Cub-centric ballpark for their fans to enjoy. The dimensions of the playing field mirror the dimensions of Wrigley Field. There is plenty of Cubs imagery around the ballpark, including a mural featuring the various Cubs logos through the years along the south side of the ballpark. A mini replica of the famous marquee from Wrigley Park provides a great selfie backdrop for fans’ photos. There is a nod to the Bleacher Bums, as there is bleacher seating in the outfield. Even Clark the Cub has made the trip down to Arizona from Chicago. All that is missing is the ivy on the outfield walls, as ivy will not grow in the arid Arizona climate.
Sloan Park Berm Seating, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Neighborhood 3
Sloan Park is located along the borders of both Tempe and Mesa, Arizona.
Nearby lodgings include the Sheraton Mesa at Wrigleyville West, the Courtyard Mesa by Wrigleyville West, and the Homewood Suites by Hilton Tempe.
Restaurants near Sloan Park include the Copper State Taphouse, the Diamond Sports Grille, Portillo’s, Lou Malnati’s, and Four Peaks Brewing.
For other sports in the area, visit some of the other East Valley spring training stadiums: Hohokam Stadium (Oakland Athletics), Scottsdale Stadium (SF Giants), Salt River Fields (CO Rockies and AZ Diamondbacks), and Tempe Diablo Stadium (LA Angels).
You can catch some ASU baseball or basketball, or head downtown to see a Suns game or an early-season Phoenix Rising FC match.
Fans 4
The Cubs boast one of the largest fan bases in Major League Baseball. Part of this is due to the franchises' long history in the league. Other factors include the past cities that have hosted the Cubs' spring training venues. Probably the biggest factor is the large number of fans who adopted the Cubs as their team due to their long history of having their games broadcast by Superstation WGN.
There is also a sizeable number of transplants/snowbirds that call Arizona home during the harsh winters that Chicago experiences. Many of these older fans have been Cubs fans since childhood.
Access 3
Sloan Park can be reached by using the Loop 101 road that encircles the Greater Phoenix area.
Gates open 90 minutes before the first pitch. There are four entry gates into the park, located near center field, right field, first base, and home plate.
Shuttles also run from the nearby Mesa Riverview Center and Tempe Marketplace. The shuttles are located near Chili’s at the Riverview Center and drop off fans near the first base gate. The Tempe Marketplace also offers a trolley from in front of the Thirsty Lion, delivering fans to the first base gate as well.
Rideshares pick up and drop off near the right field gate.
Return on Investment 3
Attending a game at Sloan Park can be an expensive proposition, as heavy demand from the Cubs huge fanbase can drive up the ticket prices.
Ticket prices range from $71 - $93 for infield box seats, $62 - $78 for infield reserved seats, $42 - $61 for outfield reserved seats, $25 - $47 for bullpen reserved seats, and $50 - $137 for Budweiser Rooftop seats. Berm seating is considered General Admission seating and costs $20 - $31. Tickets are available through the MLB Ballpark app.
Parking is also quite expensive at Sloan Park. The lots are set out by color. The Blue lot (VIP/ ADA) costs $20, and the Green Lot (Preferred Parking) is also $20. The Yellow and Green Lots are considered General Parking and cost $12. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis.
All transactions at Sloan Park are on a cashless basis.
Extras 5
Tours of Sloan Park and the team complex are available on non-gamedays. They cost $15.
For a small fee, fans can have their names appear on the miniature version of the Cubs Wrigley Park marquee, so that they can have a very special backdrop for a selfie photo.
One of the more unique seating options at Sloan Park is the Budweiser Rooftop seats. They are located on a patio on the second level of seating, overlooking the outfield. These seats feature barstool seating and tables to enjoy your food and drinks as you watch the action below.
The Advocate Children’s Hospital Kid Zone is in a shaded area behind the outfield stands. It offers a miniature baseball diamond and frequent appearances by team mascot Clark the Cub.
The Arizona Baseball Museum recently opened in Mesa. It traces the long history of baseball in the state, including the Cactus League, the Territorial baseball teams, and the internment baseball program for Japanese citizens during World War II.
Final Thoughts
Though it will cost a pretty penny, all baseball fans should try to take at least one trip to see the Cubs play at their spring training home in Mesa, AZ.
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