Support pours in for Proving Grounds Proposition 300

December 12, 2008

East Valley Tribune

Sonu Munshi

Expect the publicity to start soon on Mesa's Proposition 300. Mesa has received 41 letters in support of a plan that would bring the $1 billion Gaylord resort and convention center to the Mesa Proving Grounds.

The letters of support, turned in this week before the deadline, will be included in a publicity pamphlet mailed to voters. No letters of opposition were filed.

Now it's up to Mesa voters to decide whether they want to give a break to the developers, which would include $51 million in bed tax revenue generated at the site over 30 years.

Gaylord Entertainment Co. of Nashville, Tenn., has plans to develop a minimum 1,200-room hotel and one of the state's largest convention centers. Another high-end resort also is planned on the 3,200-acre property, which also would get a share of the bed tax break. The site is owned by DMB Associates of Scottsdale.

The election will be March 10, and will be paid for by DMB.

Gaylord promises to build the high-end resort and convention center much like its properties in Florida, Texas and Washington, D.C.

City leaders said that the $1 billion in investment expected from this project will be a catalyst for other development in the southeast part of the city, near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

Besides Mesa Mayor Scott Smith and all of the City Council members, state legislators Rep. Kirk Adams, R-Mesa; Sen. Thayer Verschoor, R-Gilbert; Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa; and Rep. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa, recommended the projects.

"I support Proposition 300 because I believe it will spur needed economic development at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and generate economic activity that will benefit all of Mesa," wrote Speaker-elect Adams.

"This project will inject a significant amount of sales tax revenue into our city coffers; and, no sales tax dollars or General Fund dollars will be spent to build this facility," stated Crandall in his letter.

The local police and fire unions also support giving the bed tax, which will be used to promote the properties and that part of Mesa, to attract tourists and convention groups. There's no word yet on whether any other developer has been tapped for the second resort. The two projects will also get $85.5 million in property tax incentives.

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"I do not typically support projects and struggle with projects that include any sort of incentive package, but in this case I see how this project actually creates more revenue instead of moving it from one place to another."

Senator Russell Pearce