The crowd at Chukchansi Stadium cheers the Foxes' early goal against the Real Monarchs Aug. 16 in 2019. The game ended in a tie. Photo by Edward Smith

The New Year is ushering in a new era of Single-A baseball for the Fresno Grizzlies — and also the last season of a 15-year naming rights deal for the city-owned stadium.

The final payment has been made to fulfill the contract through 2021 between the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians and Grizzlies ownership group Fresno Sports and Events, according to Deann Kamalani, director of marketing with Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino.

Since 2006 the stadium has been known as Chukchansi Park, with Forbes magazine in 2013 commenting that “the Grizzlies likely have minor league baseball’s best stadium naming rights partner with the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino.”

Team officials and the tribe plan to meet this month as part of annual discussions regarding the upcoming baseball season, Kamalani said, adding that a date or exact agenda have not been set.

The 15-year deal was one of the largest financial commitments for naming rights in the Pacific Coast League, according to oursportscentral.com. The $16 million deal paid $1 million a year with an additional $1 million paid into a capital improvement fund.

Kamalani could not comment on whether the recent change from Triple-A to Single-A baseball would affect the negotiations, but said that they “continue to support the team.”

A revised lease between the City of Fresno — which owns the stadium — and Fresno Sports and Events lowered the team’s payment obligations on the stadium. Annual rent was reduced from $500,000 to $100,000.

The capital reserve fund that the team and the city both had to pay into now only requires a $50,000 annual contribution, down from $300,000.

The City of Fresno would receive 15% of naming rights revenue for the stadium above $650,000 per year, growing at 2% a year, according to the new lease.

An additional $1 for every ticket after the first 150,000 tickets taken at the turnstile goes to the capital reserve fund.

There is a profit-sharing agreement for 12.5% between the City and the Grizzlies between $1 and $500,000; 20% between $500,001 and $1 million; and 25% for over $1 million in profit.

The $500,000 rent for 2020 would be deferred over the life of the lease as well. No baseball was played at Chukchansi Park last year.

There is still $34.3 million left to be paid on the stadium bond and the last payment is slated to be paid April 1, 2031.