By Paulina Pineda and Robert Anglen | Arizona Republic
Tempe officials made a deal in 2007 to sell downtown land to a well-connected development attorney for a net of $50,000 when other bidders had offered $12 million to $14.5 million.
The deal promised affordable housing and offices; retail and restaurant space; a library and other public amenities near Farmer Avenue and University Drive.
But 12 years later, public records, development agreements, interviews and a secret investigation by a city auditor show the public still hasn’t gotten what it was promised from the project.
A portion of the agreement for the Farmer Arts District will go before the City Council Thursday.
