Padres Courted by Sun City for Spring Training : Baseball: Officials from team and Phoenix suburb meet. Padres could move camp there in 1994.

The Padres opened negotiations Wednesday with Sun City, Ariz., officials in an attempt to possibly move their spring-training camp to the Phoenix suburb in 1994.

Bob Wells, Padres vice president/finance, met Wednesday in Phoenix with Maricopa County and stadium district officials, and has an appointment today with Sun City Stadium officials. He is expected to return to San Diego on Friday with a lucrative proposal that might lure the Padres from Yuma, Ariz.--their spring training site since 1969.

“We’re cautiously optimistic something can be done, and perhaps very quickly,” said Craig Kimmell, president of Field of Dreams Inc., which owns Sun City Stadium. “I think we’ve got an awfully good shot. We’ve got all the pieces. The hotels, the infrastructure, 90 acres of land.

“We can provide them with virtually everything they want.”

Padres President Dick Freeman confirmed Wednesday that the team is negotiating with Sun City officials about a possible move, but said that a decision was not expected for weeks, if not months. He also said the Padres will not break their lease with Yuma, which expires after the 1993 spring training.

“It’s certainly piqued our interest,” Freeman said. “We’ve asked for their proposals in writing. They still have to make a significant financial commitment.

“I think we’re still a long ways away from doing anything.”

Although the Padres have been exploring alternative spring-training sites for the past year, this is believed to be the first time the Padres have been presented with a proposal. Although the city of Peoria, Ariz., was rumored to be interested in the Padres, negotiations never occurred.

“That was a farce,” one Cactus League official said. “Peoria was never even in the running. They never even submitted an agreement, and people were writing like they had a chance.

“But believe me, this thing’s for real.”

Although Sun City officials refused comment on how much the city would spent to lure the Padres, Kimmell said the proposal is “very substantial.” The Padres have been promised by the city, which is located about 25 minutes northwest of Phoenix, that the permanent seating of the stadium will be increased to 8,000, with another 4,000 seats in the grassy knoll. Stadium officials also have proposed to build 4 1/2 fields with new major league and minor league clubhouses, executives offices and souvenir stands.

“The Padres would be guaranteed to sell out every game the first year,” Kimmell said. “That’s how much interest there is in baseball here. I think it’s a perfect marriage.”

In other news, there were no negotiations Wednesday between the Padres and free agent infielder Kurt Stillwell, with the two sides remaining $2.5 million apart. The Padres, who offered a two-year, $3-million contract Tuesday, have informed agent Scott Boras that they will not bid against themselves.