By Gary Nelson | The Arizona Republic
A half-century-long tradition of community involvement will continue at the Chicago Cubs’ new stadium in Mesa in the wake of a deal between the big-league team and the Mesa HoHoKams.
The agreement ends months of uncertainty for the HoHoKams, who use revenue from their stadium operations to pump $150,000 to $160,000 a year into youth-sports programs.
“I feel pretty good,” said Mike Whalen, leader of the 160-member civic group that brought the Cubs to Mesa for spring training in 1952.
Whalen, a former Mesa city councilman, said his group and the Cubs have a memorandum of understanding that will lead to a five-year contract.
