The Dealmaker: 10/5/2018

Pinal County becoming electric vehicle hub. The process that got Electric Vehicle Innovator Nikola Corp to Coolidge and how it will affect not only the region but the entire state will be front and center at next week’s Pinal Partnership October breakfast. Rose Law Group Founder & President Jordan Rose will moderate the discussion among a panel featuring: Jackob Andersen, Saint Holdings • Tom Stringer, Nikola Corp Site Selection Consultant • Mayor Jon Thompson, City of Coolidge • Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority • Britton Worthen, Nikola Corp Chief Legal Officer. For a preview of the October 19th event, head to RED News. http://bit.ly/2NqcGgi

Judge recommends contempt citation, fine for Johnson Utilities. “Administrative Law Judge Jane Rodda found sufficient evidence to recommend the [ACC] hold Johnson Utilities in contempt for violating a previous order of the ACC. Additionally, Rodda is recommending the fine, the maximum allowable under state statute.” PinalCentral. http://bit.ly/2IHqpyL

Stepping aside for Phoenix: Justin Johnson elects not to pursue council seat. Saying that the current campaign environment would “not be good for the residents of our community and our city,” Justin Johnson has announced that he will not seek a District 5 Phoenix City Council seat. Johnson, who earlier this year was a contender as interim appointee for the seat vacated by councilman Daniel Valenzuela, has issued a statement explaining his decision. Read it in Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2CtJNyC

Phoenix votes against plan for Kierland hotel/condo tower. Some neighbors, several of whom “came by bus to the council meeting,” thought the project — even with DMB’s plans for a smaller tower — was “too big for the site.” Evidently, enough council members thought so, too. They shot the zoning change down 5-3 on Tuesday. AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2pDENPS

Taylor Morrison opens 2 home collections in San Tan Valley. QC Independent serves up a super-short overview of homes from Taylor Morrison’s Discovery and Encore collections, along with info on the upcoming grand-opening event. http://bit.ly/2OaAEBi

City re-zones Porter Road property for possible apartments. Englewood Group wants to build Vista Village, “a 100-unit apartment complex” proposed for “a triangular, six-acre lot” in Maricopa, “and a vote by Maricopa City Council on Tuesday may spur the project.” InMaricopa. http://bit.ly/2NqNJBr  

Most expensive home sales in Phoenix. Arizona Foothills Mag top sales, 9.24.18- 9.30.18, totaled “over $27 million,” REBOUNDING $7 million from the previous week. Two hard-to-spot features in this installment — an upgraded kitchen and a unique cul-de-sac — and you’re going to definitely need to drop it into hyper-zoom see ‘em. http://bit.ly/2IFQ9LG 

LendingTree reveals the cities with the biggest houses in America. The online loan broker is out with a new study that rates the 45 largest cities in the country by average home size — and PHOENIX impresses! http://bit.ly/2O7M4WP

Arizona voters favor anti-tax ballot measure Prop. 126, according to Republic poll. “Both major-party candidates for governor, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and organizations across the political spectrum oppose a ballot measure [‘launched by Realtors’] that would prohibit taxes on services. Arizona voters appear to have a different view.” AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2PdTFQ1

BD breaks ground at I.D.E.A. Tempe campus. Governor Doug Ducey, Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell and representatives of The Boyer Company were among officials in attendance for Wednesday’s groundbreaking on the new I.D.E.A. campus. BD Peripheral Intervention, a manufacturer of blood circulation devices, will be the first business to move to the new campus. More on BD, I.D.E.A. and the GB in ABD. http://bit.ly/2CtLufs

Investors paying top dollar for Phoenix industrial properties. Sales prices increased • Absorption remained positive (but experienced a “stark decline” from Q2) • Vacancy rose • Construction remained active • Rental rates saw a “slight” uptick • Colliers crunched the numbers for its Greater Phoenix Industrial Market Update Q3 2018 • AZRE has the highlights, including data projections for the remainder of this year and beyond. http://bit.ly/2y3gRKd

Tucson tech: Effort to expand space-industry here needed, UA-backedreport says. “A new feasibility study commissioned by the University of Arizona and industry supporters says the region should consider creating a new space-industry organization to nurture the region’s nascent commercial-space sector.” Arizona Daily Star. http://bit.ly/2OGPPSn

ADOT laying freeway pavement at east end of Pecos segment. “10 million cubic yards of earth, the equivalent of more than 800,000 truckloads and enough to fill State Farm Stadium 13 times, is being hauled and compacted for the project.” AFN has more on this “major step” for the SM Freeway build, plus news on another “big” (related) development. http://bit.ly/2pDPn9x

ADOT partnership helps tribal members launch construction careers. “With the [ADOT] covering the cost of training and providing safety gear for participants, dozens of members of the Yavapai-Apache Nation have completed a Construction Academy that helps them launch careers in transportation.” Arizona Business Daily. http://bit.ly/2PlRDx2

Golfing at Club West course lost for the season. With “a bankruptcy end-run around his foreclosure not completely resolved,” plus “untold damage to the course’s irrigation system,” owner Wilson Gee says that golfers teeing up this year is a no-go. AFN. http://bit.ly/2NqK1b4 

Giving the dead a voice: The 50-year fight to save a historic Mexican cemetery in ruins. “Sotelo-Heard Cemetery in South Phoenix has been the target of vandals and neglect for more than 50 years. Protecting it has been a losing battle.” An in-depth report from AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2CtMr7w 

Be a part of Scottsdale Polo Party history, November 10 and 11 – http://bit.ly/2P6fwsm

10th Annual AZ DealMakers – January 11, 2019. Don’t miss out on the BIGGEST homebuilding industry event for real estate forecasting and analysis, featuring the best speakers in the industry, including Rose Law Group founder and president Jordan Rose and Lennar division president Alan Jones. Plus, Belfiore Real Estate Consulting president Jim Belfiore provides an Overview on Housing. For the full list of speakers & panelists, along with registration info for Arizona Housing: Growth, Its Costs, Challenges & Opportunities, tap on!  http://bit.ly/2LAvclq 

As a supplement to the Dealmaker, we thought you might enjoy these articles!

Newly reported Waymo crash shows ‘a huge risk’ of human error.AndroidHeadlines reports on the measures Waymo has taken to reduce the risk of “bored” human error in its self-driving cars following a “previously unreported” crash involving a “backup driver” who “not only fell asleep but managed to disengage the autopilot in doing so.” http://bit.ly/2PfYbNM

Arizona Democratic Party spends big for secretary of state, not for governor. “The Arizona Democratic Party is spending heavily on television ads to help Katie Hobbs in the race for secretary of state, but hasn’t made a similar investment in gubernatorial nominee David Garcia.” Arizona Mirror. http://bit.ly/2RtgMYn

Sen. Jeff Flake sees no more proof of Brett Kavanaugh sexual assault. “The lack of further evidence against Kavanaugh suggests Flake may again vote to confirm him to the high court.” AZCentral (RELATED: “Protesters want Flake to vote no on Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation” • “Jon Kyl: Brett Kavanaugh ’eminently qualified,’ sex-assault allegations likely ‘not true’ ”) http://bit.ly/2O6trlY