The Pima County Board of Supervisors agreed to accept a $5 million buyout from the Chicago White Sox to allow the team to pursue its plan to move spring training to Glendale and thus end a decade-long relationship at Tucson Electric Park that had been contractually obligated to go another four years.

It also likely spells the beginning of the end for Major League Baseball spring training in Tucson. A day after the supervisors’ meeting, the Arizona Republic reported the Arizona Diamondbacks are looking to move when their Tucson Electric Park contract is up in 2011. And without three teams in Tucson, the Colorado Rockies’ contract allows them to leave the city’s Hi Corbett Field.

The White Sox had initially proposed spending $3 million to help establish a year-round youth and amateur baseball tournament facility in Tucson but that idea received little positive response. The White Sox’ $5 million cash buyout offer came only days before the supervisors’ Nov. 18 meeting, according to County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry. All five supervisors agreed to accept it.

Still to be determined is what the county will do with the money.