New apartments and shops opening near Phoenix Art Museum [VIDEO]. “‘The Muse’ not only features [luxury] apartments, but also [11,000 sq. ft. of] restaurants and retail space, right in the heart of the Arts District. The mixed use development now occupies the corner of McDowell and Central, and officially opened Tuesday.” FOX 10 takes a look inside. http://bit.ly/2f9sXL8
2017’s Best Places to Flip Houses; one West Valley city lands in top 5.“WalletHub’s analysts compared the 150 largest U.S. cities across 22 key indicators of market potential, cost and quality of life.” (Gilbert earned top honors for ’Highest Median Salary’!) “Read on for the winners, expert home-flipping advice and a full description of [the] methodology.” http://bit.ly/2wmcSoB
LA Dodgers’ Andre Ethier sells Gilbert mansion for $4.9M. “It’s one of the highest prices ever paid for an East Valley home.” At 9,326 square-feet, the mansion features a “tropical paradise backyard,” game room, soccer field, windmill, two-story closet, and an indoor batting cage. (As someone here at Dealmaker HQ remarked, “Wow! A place with a batting cage takes a special kind of buyer!!” Yeah. And too bad that buyer wasn’t D-Backs’ catcher Chris Herrmann. Hey, anything to help the guy start hitting above .200!) Get further details and check out the enormity of this place in a 65-image slideshow at AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2hoisnT
OUTTA THE BALLPARK? – MLB alarmed by Chase Field conditions,could move D-Backs. “[MLB] might require the [D-Backs] to leave Phoenix unless the county… pays for millions of dollars in stadium repairs…. It’s the first time the team has indicated that MLB is directly involved in the dispute, ramping up pressurein its long-running lawsuit against Maricopa County. County officials counter, however, that recent pipe failures being pointed out by the team were the responsibility of the Diamondbacks…” AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2horJMH
20 Cities in 20 Days: Downtown Glendale blossoms [VIDEO]. “[The area] is enjoying a resurgence as businesses, residents and visitors rediscover the charm of city’s core.” Segments in this first installment of “20 Cities in 20 Days” include: A chat with Glendale Chamber President Robert Heidt, a brief history of Grand Avenue, and a trip to “3 must-stop places.” WATCH it at azfamily (3TV/CBS 5). http://bit.ly/2vtQQUT
Here are the first tenants at Agritopia’s $75M Epicenter project in Gilbert. “The goal for the 19.7-acre, four-story development, expected to break ground this fall, is to have majority, if not all, local tenants… Thus far the Johnston family, along with its partners in the project, has stayed true to that goal, with several of the tenants opening their first-ever brick-and-mortar.” See “who’s signed on” so far, in this Phoenix Business Journal (subscriber content) ’EXCLUSIVE.’ http://bit.ly/2f8DN48
P83 is more than entertainment, standby for changes. “The P83 Entertainment District is not all fun and games… P83 district has great potential to serve as an entrepreneurial hub for the city.” Peoria Chamber of Commerce President Guy Erickson: “You have Huntington University, which is digital arts. You have the Small Business Development Center, and then you have the chamber… The synergy in this area is huge.” For more on what could now be called the “P83 Entertainment-Business-Education District,” click to YourWestValley. http://bit.ly/2vigdbK
MAIN STREET MAKEOVER: TOUCHED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME – Coolidge revamps Main Street, gives Historical Loop a facelift. “The city… has launched its last phase of roadwork on the ‘Historic Loop,’ with a project designed to reconstruct Main Street… [T]he improvements will not only beautify the town, but will also help to attract more businesses… According to [City Manager Rick] Miller, the project is likely the first time that Main Street has ever been completely revamped.” Coolidge Examiner. http://bit.ly/2vu75Rz
[OP-ED] The stock market is sending an early warning sign about housing. “The housing market and the stocks of companies that support it have been one of the hottest investment themes since the end of the Great Recession. That’s why… recent action in housing-related stocks is worth reviewing: The performance suggests investors must ask, Could the residential real estate rally be coming to an end?” By Mitch Goldberg, president of investment advisory firm ClientFirst Strategy, in CNBC. http://bit.ly/2ukvYKq
American Institute of Architects endorses energy efficiency tax incentive.From AIA’s statement issued last week: “The American Institute of Architects strongly voiced its support of bipartisan legislation that makes permanent a key energy efficiency tax incentive for owners and designers of energy efficient buildings…” AIA President Thomas Vonier: “Investing in smart, money-saving designs not only means a better bottom line for designers and building owners, but also means lower tax bills for Americans nationwide…” Read the full statement inArchitect Magazine. http://bit.ly/2vtNgtG
Carrie Dyrek selected unanimously as Cave Creek town manager. “If Carrie wants this job, no one else can step in like Carrie.”… “It’s beyond me why we wouldn’t offer [Carrie] the job.” That’s just a sampling from folks who attended the “July 31 special council meeting” and vocalized their support for the selection.” More on the selection process plus plenty more praise for Carrie Dyrek in Sonoran News. http://bit.ly/2u0RhSb
Dealmaker BONUS: Tribal gaming industry shows signs of growth; Tohono O’odham Nation casino cited among projects ‘reaching new heights.’ “[T]he National Indian Gaming Commission announced last week that total FY 2016 revenues of tribally-owned casinos in the United States surpassed $30 billion for the first time ever… [S]ome tribes are reaching new heights — building bigger, better and faster. Casinopedia [looks at] some of this year’s biggest construction projects.” –> http://bit.ly/2u0XDAE
Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2u17cQi
GNATCATCHER, CHECKERSPOT… ADIOS? – Activists angered as DHS waives environmental rules on border projects. “[The Department of Homeland Security] announced that it would exercise its authority… to exempt itself from ‘a variety of environmental… laws’ in the San Diego sector as it continues to work towards development of new physical barriers there. That brought a sharp response from the Center for Biological Diversity, which reported in a recent study that President Donald Trump’s… wall… would threaten… the Quino checkerspot butterfly and coastal California gnatcatcher…” Cronkite News. http://bit.ly/2vtyuDc
Former DES director threatens to sue state over ammunition report. “Tim Jeffries, who was forced to resign as head of DES in November, filed a notice of claim [against the state] claiming the report produced by the Arizona Department of Public Safety [detailing how, under Jeffries’ watch, the agency amassed an excessive stockpile of ammunition] contained libel and false statements against Jeffries.” Arizona Capitol Times reports that Jeffries “is willing to settle for $5.1 million.” http://bit.ly/2hosXrh
Indicted lobbyist’s wife gave FBI documents. Arizona Capitol Times: “An attorney representing indicted lobbyist Jim Norton said in court Tuesday the lobbyist’s ex-wife provided more than 250 pages of documents to the federal investigation that also includes former Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce, his wife Sherry Pierce and Johnson Utilities owner George Johnson. The defendants were indicted in May on federal charges of felony conspiracy, bribery, mail fraud and five counts of wire fraud… They were in court to get access to various FBI interviews, case agent notes and other documents.” Here’s what happened. –> http://bit.ly/2uWDPBv
Booker introduces bill to legalize marijuana nationwide. “U.S. Sen. Cory Booker is proposing [the Marijuana Justice Act], a far-reaching bill that would both legalize marijuana at the federal level and encourage states to legalize it locally through incentives.” Although the bill has “virtually no chance of passage in the Republican-controlled Congress and in a presidential administration that’s decidedly anti-marijuana,” POLITICO reports that “legalization advocates were thrilled with Booker’s proposal.” http://bit.ly/2wm3npt
