Today, the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks will both hold their first official workouts at the recently completed Salt River Fields at Talking Stick complex just outside of Scottsdale, Arizona. The Rockies and Diamondbacks have partnered with the Salt River Pima – Maricopa Indian Community to build the first Major League Baseball spring training facility on Indian land in the nation.

The Salt River Fields at Talking Stick is actually built on 140 acres, with scenic views of not only Camelback Mountain but also the McDowell Mountains, Four Peaks, Red Mountains, and the Superstition

Mountains. The Rockies are moving from their long-time home in Tucson to take advantage of the upgraded faculties, and the proximity to other teams. While in Tucson, many other teams found it difficult to travel for spring training game versus the Rockies, which generally involved a four hour bus drive for most.

The Rockies have had a busy off-season to date with the re-signing of left handed starter Jorge De La Rosa, the long term extensions for Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez and the acquisition of reliever Matt Lindstrom. While talking with reporters earlier yesterday Lindstrom agreed with other players, “It doesn’t even feel like spring training at all.”

With the team now located closer to the Phoenix metropolitan area, many in the Rockies front office believe that fan attendance and the level of play will be the main improvements people notice. “Let’s face it”, Charlie Monfort, the Rockies’ chairman and chief executive officer

said, “teams didn’t bring a lot of their star players to face us down there, and maybe now without all that time on the road this will help us get off to a faster start in April and May than we used to.”

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick will hold its first official spring game on February 26 when the Rockies meet the Diamondbacks. Not only has

this game been sold out, but it is also expected that current Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig will also be in attendance. Salt River Fields is a nod to the local Indian community, which funded the $120 million dollar complex on its own land located near the hotel, casino, and golf course which is also operated by the Pima – Maricopa Indian Community.

The Rockies will also be opening the regular season against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field Friday April 1^st, at 2:10 p.m. MT.