By Gary Nelson | The Arizona Republic
First, some Mesa City Council members sparred with a hotel company over its refusal to offer alcohol in the heart of a sports entertainment district.
Now, with a Mesa-based developer jumping in with a proposal to build a full-service, 150-room resort with a water park, the race to build the first hotel in Mesa’s Wrigleyville West complex has taken another twist.
The Mesa City Council is scheduled to make its first formal decision on the hotel proposals Monday night.
The stakes are high, not just for the hotel companies, but for Mesa and the Chicago Cubs.
The city is spending more than $100 million for the Cubs on a Cactus League baseball stadium, training facilities and a vastly improved Riverview Park at Dobson Road and Loop 202. For Mesa, it’s about creating a signature gateway and laying the groundwork for further economic development.
