| CopperWynd Resort and Spa receives unanimous town approval for rezoning. Congratulations to Rose Law Group client Copperwynd Resort in Fountain Hills, in gaining approval for 300 room expansion! For a recap of last night’s Fountain Hills Town Council meeting, along with totally gorgeous renderings of the Copperwynd’s expansion plan, done by the Allen + Philps (they have done all the great resorts, Sanctuary, Mountain Shadows, Valley Ho, etc. so check it out), click to Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2mDHbmn
Jump-starting Glendale Midtown District. “Although Midtown is ripe for revitalization it has its challenges…. For years, the city invested time and money to jump-start its decaying downtown but to no avail. Vacancy rates, population drop and unemployment rates continued to surpass the rest of Glendale. Last week, a report with recommendations [‘a basis for future strategy’] was unveiled….” Check out the report’s recommendations along with some of the challenges facing the area, in YourWestValley. http://bit.ly/2mXMEqM
Casa Grande mayor delivers first state of the city address. “The mayor referenced big development projects like Lucid Motors and Attesa… “ And in what’s sure to be a developer attention-grabber, the mayor said that “the city’s looking at the option of delaying the payment of impact fees… [which] would, in theory, encourage more development and construction.” More from mayor’s state-of-the-city and his “open for business” agenda, at Pinal Central. http://bit.ly/2mXG2c7
Private motocross track gets go-ahead despite county controversy. “With the [Pinal County Board of Supervisors’] approval, the track — River Bottom Motocross — may be constructed on a 12-acre parcel of land located… near Florence, along the San Carlos Irrigation District Canal Road…” Pinal Central reports that the land is “currently undeveloped, a graveyard of illegally-dumped tires.” But that’s not what “sparked debate” at Wednesday’s BoS meeting. “Access issues” did. http://bit.ly/2mB0oUR
Work progresses on Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino multimillion-dollar transformation. “[From] a casino just for players to a family entertainment destination… [progress] is continuing… with brand-new steel-beamed structures rising to foreshadow its expansion. This… expansion project in the Ak-Chin Indian Community near Maricopa… could double the area’s economy…” Expansion details, including completion date estimates and images of some of the progress, at Phoenix Business Journal. http://bit.ly/2ni0J3r
Developing on tribal land: benefits and challenges developers face; comments from Jordan Rose, president and founder of Rose Law Group, which represents private developers in their deals with Native American communities. AZRE looks at successful tribal developments and talks with tribal officials about the “development opportunities” (and complexities) involved. Jordan Rose: “success occurs only when the parties truly have their goals aligned. Sometimes it’s difficult to see that in the initial excitement of the deal, but it really is crucial.” http://bit.ly/2mDKUR1
New construction beginning at a quicker pace despite decline in permits. “[H]ousing starts… reversed course, posting the year’s first gains….. Analysts had expected a downturn in permitting, but a much smaller one.” Mortgage News Daily’s Jann Swanson dives into the data for permitting and starts, charting out the “Housing Starts vs Building Permits” from 2004 onward and breaking down the activity by region. —> http://bit.ly/2nAdN1a
Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2mReKSW
As a supplement to the Dealmaker, we thought you might enjoy these articles!
Bill banning per-signature payment for initiative campaigns advances. “HB2404, approved Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee, would make it illegal to pay initiative petition circulators based on the number of signatures they gather.” According to this report from Capitol Media Services’ Howard Fischer, Republicans say the “process is… ‘rife with fraud’” and that “Arizonan’s have ‘lost confidence’ in the process.” But Dems aren’t buying it. Read why, in Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2nAt6qD
Democrats say bullying incident underscores pattern of sexism in Arizona House. “Democrat, Rep. Isela Blanc… said on March 14 that Republican Rep. Bob Thorpe… threatened to call security to remove her from a hearing room. ‘I’m being bullied… That’s exactly how I felt…’ Blanc [said].” Democratic Minority Leader Rebecca Rios: “The problem…is… disrespect, cutting people off, scoffing, making faces when people stand up to speak. It’s existed throughout my whole tenure…” Tap to Arizona Capitol Times for details on the incident. http://bit.ly/2mXSxEf
Here’s what Trump’s proposed budget would do for Arizona. “‘America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again,’ aims to eliminate tens of millions of dollars in federal funding received by Arizona for various agencies and programs, worrying various interest groups. On the other hand, winners would include the U.S. Border Patrol, construction workers, veterans — and possibly Arizona’s economy.” Phoenix New Times’ Ray Stern looks at the “sweeping, large-scale effect” it could have on the state. http://bit.ly/2mAQ6Ek
Arizona appeals court says Medicaid expansion law is constitutional. “The court said the law imposed an assessment that is exempt from the requirement that any act by lawmakers increasing state revenues, such a tax hike, must get a two-thirds vote in the Legislature…. At issue is the assessment on hospitals, which the state uses to draw down matching federal funds.” The story in Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2n6FKQt
Arizona redistricting commission wins another legal challenge. “Maricopa County Superior Court [Judge Roger Brodman has] rejected challenges from a coalition of Republican voters that the commission used the wrong process in drawing boundaries for Arizona’s nine congressional districts.” See what other “claims” the judge “rejected,” and find out how long the commission’s legal winning streak is and whether or not there’s anything “left to litigate,” at AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2nw7kHZ
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