When the contract expired at the end of the 2002 season, the Royals moved all of their spring training and rookie league operations to Surprise, Arizona, where a brand new $20 million park was being built and offered to any team willing to leave Florida.
The Royals' move in 2002 to Surprise, Arizona, was prompted by the expiration of their contract with Florida and the construction of a new $20 million park there. This relocation offered teams an opportunity to leave Florida.