The Dealmaker is a daily note of the day’s top real estate stories served just in time for lunch. Bon Appetit! Subscribe here to receive the Dealmaker to your inbox
Hemp. Arizona’s next big economic driver? Rose Law Group Attorney,
Omar Abdallah, who has been handling hemp-related issues, answers some FAQs about this potentially big new biz. http://bit.ly/2YOXEqo
Huge land sale in Pinal County sets up planned 100-megawatt solar project. (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Saint Holdings.) Coolidge City Manager Rick Miller and Saint Holdings President and CEO Jackob Andersen talk to PBJ about Saint Holdings’ big 1027-acre sale for what “will be the largest solar farm in Pinal County and one of the largest in the state.” (Subscriber Content) http://bit.ly/2KaM05a
Riverview development denied recommendation by Phoenix planning committee, still advances to commission. While the Rio Vista Village Planning Committee may have given its thumbs down to recommending a rezone request from El Dorado Holdings, there’s still plenty of kick left in this 170-home West Anthem project. The Foothills Focus. http://bit.ly/2EDe3XE
Flagstaff discusses Canyon Del Rio rezone. Plans call for “1,100 units as both single-family homes and apartment buildings and commercial areas along a future extension of Fourth Street.” However, City Council has “outlined some requirements” Capstone Homes “must agree to before” a “final call” is made on the project. Daily Sun. http://bit.ly/2I41aXq
Contracting business seeks to rebuild Flagstaff’s Sunnyside neighborhood. The ongoing effort is “adding much-needed housing in a city struggling with affordability.” But making “buildings work on the existing zoning” has been a “challenge” for Jeff Knorr of general contracting company JKC Inc. Daily Sun. http://bit.ly/2YYW3P7
$10M budgeted for affordable housing? Not enough, advocates say.Affordable housing advocates “point to the years leading up to the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, when lawmakers consistently budgeted more than $20 million toward” the state Housing Trust Fund. What amount of funding would advocates now like to see? Find out in New Times. http://bit.ly/2EGv3vX
Hotel construction abound in West Valley. With an expected flood of visitors for the 2023 Super Bowl, the West Valley is gearing up with new accommodations. The Glendale Star has a rundown of projects in Glendale, Goodyear, Surprise, Peoria and Avondale, which “all have hotels either under construction or in the planning phase.” http://bit.ly/2I3cMdf
Harrah’s, Ak-Chin tribe marks 25-year partnership with $180M renovation. The facelift has “boosted the number of hotel rooms,” and features “a remodeled lobby, two new restaurants, expanded garage space, a new concert/events center, a new spa/fitness center and the first bingo hall in the Caesars Entertainment Corp. network.” Check out the changes in a slideshow at AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2wmgDN4
Tempe, Salt River Indian community to talk economic development, Phoenix Rising. (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Phoenix Rising.) On the agenda: Potential improvements of Loop 202/McClintock interchange and continued development of Tempe Town Lake. Reporter Mike Sunnucks previews tonight’s action for RLGR. http://bit.ly/2WvePzS
Glendale to vote on church rezoning in Arrowhead near Loop 101. A restaurant, coffee shop, retail and health club on church property? Simon CRE is working with the property owner to make it happen. Full details via Mike Sunnucks’ report in RLGR. http://bit.ly/2QudDYd
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approves tentative budget. BoS Chairman Bill Gates: “This fiscally responsible and sustainable [$2.57 billion] budget keeps the tax rate steady for our residents while investing in the kinds of technology and infrastructure that works to serve citizens better.” Budget highlights in Scottsdale Independent. http://bit.ly/2I1jvUU
Little-known fund fuels Mesa Council clash. Looking for the city to spend more on infrastructure and less on “redevelopment projects” Councilmember Jeremy Whittaker wants to “cap transfers” from the city’s “Enterprise Fund to the General Fund.” Meanwhile, Mayor John Giles says Whittaker’s proposal would “burn the place down.’’ EVT. http://bit.ly/2WxdNTS
Flagstaff looks at electric scooters rules, potential restrictions. Today the city will review staff proposals on scooters which have become popular with tourists, college students and other young adults. Reporter Mike Sunnucks has a preview in RLGR. http://bit.ly/2I2PsfK
As a supplement to the Dealmaker, we thought you might enjoy these articles!
Click here for 2019 Arizona Legislative News
Rose Law Group Co-Founder Court Rich in Arizona Republic on how Chevron executive is secretly pushing anti-electric car effort in Arizona. Oil company Chevron is running an undercover campaign in Arizona to try and stifle policies that support electric vehicles. Rose Law Group Co-Founder Court Rich tells the Arizona Republic that this corporate rent-seeking likely resembles the same sort of failed campaign lobbyists for the horse and buggy industry used to try and stop gas automobiles. http://bit.ly/2wr6Wgc
Marijuana concentrates okay for patients, Arizona Supreme Court rules; Rose Law Group Partner and Cannabis Dept. Director, Laura Bianchi, calls it ‘incredible victory.’ Laura Bianchi: “We are so pleased the Supreme Court recognized the flaws in the arguments presented, as nothing more than a direct attack on our most vulnerable patients and their healthcare needs.” Read on: http://bit.ly/2JIm1mr
Legislature ends 2019 session. “With the protracted budget fight over, the legislature called it quits for the year shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, wrapping up its business after 134 days.” AZ Mirror. http://bit.ly/2HGTw6k
Robot umpires are coming to baseball. “An electronic radar system called TrackMan will soon be calling balls and strikes in the Atlantic League, an independent East Coast league that has emerged as MLB’s testing ground for new rules and equipment initiatives.” Axios. http://bit.ly/2wvTibz
California urges high court not to hear Arizona’s challenge to ‘doing business’ tax. “California officials are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to butt out of their dispute with Arizona over how California imposes its taxes on some of this state’s residents and businesses.” A Cap Media Services/Howard Fischer report in Daily Star. http://bit.ly/2K71U0B
Republicans set more traps for citizen ballot measures. A Cap Media Services/Howard Fischer report that pretty much in its entirety serves as a partisan jab at Republican lawmakers for their vote “to add a series of new requirements that need to be met” when it comes to citizen ballot initiatives — in AZ Cap Times. (At least there’s no paywall!) http://bit.ly/2W7gMmR
Lawmaker aims to give Trump free pass in 2020 Arizona primary. “House Speaker Rusty Bowers tucked a provision into the state budget that allows any political party to opt out of the state’s presidential preference primary.” It’s something that has never been done before, right? Not so, says State GOP spokesman Zach Henry. Daily Star. http://bit.ly/30KYK8F
