Marlborough Mesa

The following is an e-mail message I received from Mayor Hawker regarding the Stadium. I have been following this from the very begining and cannot believe what a travesty this turned out to be. I am calling on all my neighbors to contact your elected officials (city council and more importantly your state legislators)and urge them to end this fiasco once and for all. The Cardinals have been making unreasonable demands of the taxpayers and it must stop. How dare they even make demands when they are getting a free stadium. Please read the following e-mail from our Mayor who has been steadfast in his duty of watching out for the citizens of this city. My hats off to Councilman Kavanaugh (our councilman) as well. The whole thing will probably not fit so I will break it up.
Mayor Keno Hawker
Position Statement: Proposed Stadium
Updated 3/22/02
Here we are: we?’re in overtime and as Mayor of Mesa, I must vote on whether or not to submit a ?“best and final proposal?” to the Tourism and Sports Authority.
I believe that the City of Mesa site is the best site: it offers the best location in terms of proximity to two major freeway systems, world class lodging, an abundance of restaurants and easy access from all areas of the Phoenix region.
However, today I am in a situation where the numbers simply don?’t add up.
The total cost of land acquisition, parking and related infrastructure to be provided by the City is estimated at approximately $63 million. We estimate that the total net revenue would be $30 million, which leaves a $33 million shortfall. The potential for doing a land trade with ASU, sharing game day expenses with the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, the Mesa Convention and Visitor?’s Bureau and Scottsdale created an additional $15 million, reducing the gap to $18 million.
The Mesa City Council repeatedly stated that Mesa will not accept the burden of a tax increase to fund a multi-purpose facility (MPF). The cost to provide infrastructure must be fully repaid from revenue directly attributed to the facility (parking, sales tax from tickets, sales tax from the construction, bond interest, etc.).
Our East Valley partners: the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community and Scottsdale, have worked with Mesa to bridge the $33 million gap and I thank them for their efforts. The Mesa Convention and Visitor?’s Bureau has also come forward with an offer of funding and a great outpouring of support from area businesses including the Mesa and Tempe Chambers of Commerce. ASU has been forthright in working with us on a potential land swap, which will provide parking for game days and youth sports for the life of the stadium.

Part II

Despite these community partnerships, we have not been able to find a scenario where the cost of being a host city is balanced by the revenue streams returned to Mesa. Under no circumstances will I support a tax increase or general fund allocation to pay for a multi-purpose facility. The MPF was promoted as a facility where no tax money would be needed: the funding is supposed to be provided by car rental and hotel taxes. The premise of this funding mechanism was that residents of Maricopa County would not be responsible for the funding; it would come from tourists. I support that premise and refuse to have the citizens of Mesa ?“pick up the tab?” for the multi-purpose facility.
Rather than using tax dollars, we have been diligently working in pursuit of balancing the cost-benefit analysis. We reached out to others in the East Valley, including the City of Tempe and the Arizona Cardinals. They both have a vested interest in seeing this stadium built on our site. The proximity to Tempe?’s restaurants and hotels would be a tremendous benefit to their community, as would the continued relationship as the host of the Fiesta Bowl and related events, the college venue, and the potential for redevelopment of County islands between the proposed MPF site and Tempe Town Lake.
The Arizona Cardinals could benefit from the enhanced value of naming rights to the MPF and increased game day attendance. With better proximity to the existing Cardinals fans, the Cardinal franchise could benefit by as much as $1 million per year in additional ticket sales revenue based upon 5,000 more tickets sold per game due to a centrally located site.
Unfortunately, our efforts to form partnerships with the City of Tempe and the Arizona Cardinals were met with refusals. We committed ourselves to working with them to bridge the funding gap, but as the time on the clock ran out, they responded with unwillingness and ultimatums.
Tempe?’s official statement on March 21, 2002 was that they ?“will not participate further in negotiations concerning the TSA selection process?…?”. This statement made Mesa?’s attempts to comply with the Cardinal?’s ultimatum impossible because the Cardinals insisted that Mesa ?“?…work out the arrangements necessary for Tempe to annex a small portion of land under the stadium?…?” (letter from AZ Cardinals 3/17/02).

Part III

And that brings our efforts full circle. From the beginning, my position has been that I personally do not believe that it is the proper role of government to subsidize professional sports. That includes the NFL. I support private business and encourage the Arizona Cardinals to act as the private business they are.
My position throughout the selection process has been that if the proposed facility could be built in Mesa without using any Mesa general fund money, then it was worth pursuing. Furthermore, as a Council, we have repeatedly stressed that a proposed MPF cannot impact the City of Mesa?’s general budget.
And so, we?’ll use our last time out and the Mesa City Council will meet in a Special Council meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 25th to consider this issue and take action. You are welcome to attend this meeting in the upper level of the City Council Chambers at 57 E. 1st Street.
I agreed to examine all the options, and have done this, BUT I also stated that if it was determined that being a host city for the TSA multi-purpose football facility would cause an economic drain upon the City of Mesa, I would vote to withdraw from the selection process. We?’re in overtime with no prospective plays. Therefore, I will recommend and vote to withdraw from the TSA site selection process.
In my opinion, the original TSA legislation is flawed in the sense that it burdens the host community with the expenses while allocating the lion?’s share of the revenue to the Cardinals. Furthermore, I am disappointed by the exclusion of the Indian Communities, especially at the end of the 4th quarter, after they have dedicated considerable time, effort and resources to this process.

Stadium

The Cardinals are putting up a substantial amount of money toward this stadium, upwards of $75-80 MILLION. That's not a free stadium.

The Cardinals have always wanted it in the EAST Valley. Rio Salado was too big a price tag ... $1 BILLION.

I hope we get the stadium finally.

I'm looking forward to staying in Mesa when my wife and I go to the games (season ticket holders :o) ) In the end, it will mean more revenue and taxes collected for Mesa on top of the free exposure.

Just imagine...''We're here at this beautiful new facility...here in MESA, ARIZONA.'' I can hardly wait...