As Diamondbacks officials made their case for legislation that would help pay for a Chase Field renovation, they did so with a newfound tone: optimism.

In comments made after a news conference introducing new pitcher Corbin Burnes, Ken Kendrick, the Diamondbacks’ principal owner and managing general partner, and Derrick Hall, the club’s president and CEO, sounded far more encouraged about the possibility of finding funding for the ballpark than they had in years.

“I think there’s some hope for us to get something done,” Kendrick said.

Added Hall: “We’re starting to see a road map to get this place renovated and taken care of and brought up to speed, as our fans deserve.”

As The Arizona Republic reported last week, the Diamondbacks are pushing potential legislation at the state level that would see a portion of sales tax revenue derived from Chase Field “recaptured” into a fund that could be used on ballpark improvements.

Kendrick drew parallels to the legislation in place for the Cardinals and State Farm Stadium.

“The model is already there,” Kendrick said. “It’s exactly what the Cardinals have.”

He added: “I’m not a fan of taking people’s tax money that don’t support the team. I just don’t think that’s fair. … But if you’re a fan and you come in and you buy a ticket and you pay a sales tax, that money was because the Diamondbacks are here. If that money were to be repatriated into keeping the ballpark vibrant, would that be something the public at large would say, ‘Well, yeah, that’s a fair use of tax money?’ Well, they voted for that for the Cardinals. That’s the model.”

Kendrick again said that the Diamondbacks are willing to put forth their own money — he said last year the team was willing to spend “hundreds of millions” — in a renovation that he said could be completed with a price tag “below $500 million.”

“Look, I feel personally very strong that the public doesn’t owe us,” Kendrick said. “However, if the public is coming here and spending their money, does the sales tax money go to things unrelated to the ballpark? Could it go to the ballpark? I think it could. It does for the Cardinals, so why not us?”

The Diamondbacks’ proposal is making the rounds at the legislature, and both lawmakers and the governor’s office have acknowledged conversations with the club.

Reporter José M. Romero contributed to this report.