With spring training in the rearview mirror and the 2013 Major League Baseball season in full swing, work continues at a fever pitch at the Chicago Cubs Riverview Park facility in Mesa.

The new facility, scheduled to be ready for the 2014 Cactus League season, is a collaborative effort by the City of Mesa and the Chicago Cubs to create a year-round destination near the Loops 101 and 202 interchange in northwest Mesa.

The 140-acre project is transforming the Riverview Municipal Golf Course into a new 15,000-seat stadium, six ball fields, and a 63,000 SF clubhouse.

General contractor is Hunt Construction Group; architects are Populous and the Phoenix office of DWL Architects + Planners.

The stadium design has the old-fashioned feel of the Cubs’ home at Wrigley Field, blended with a distinct desert character. Most of the seating will be shaded and below existing ground level. The stadium seating bowl is depressed about 15 feet below existing ground level.

The clubhouse features the largest weight training and conditioning space of any spring training facility, separate locker rooms for the major and minor league players, and a 120-seat theater for team meetings. It will also house the Cubs’ West Coast business offices.

Riverview Park, east of the spring training facility, is being renovated with a 24-foot deep lake and an east-west paseo linking it to the new stadium. Its many amenities — fishing, picnicking, kids adventure playground, soccer and softball fields — will offer visitors an opportunity to enjoy the remaining day at the park after attending a ball game.

Also in the works is the development of the Wrigleyville West commercial district located next to the new stadium.

Work on the $90M project began in March 2012. The clubhouse is expected to be completed by September, with the stadium expected to be completed by December.