Arizona State University wants to develop a commercial and housing complex on 330 acres it owns to generate cash to renovate its stadium and sports facilities.
University officials tell The Arizona Republic (http://bit.ly/NHp47y ) that creating a master-planned development could help pay for rebuilding Sun Devil Stadium. That project could cost as much as $300 million.
Some are skeptical about ASU's vision for what it is calling "the district." Some Tempe leaders worry that if the university is able to develop the area it will siphon business from Mill Avenue and Tempe Marketplace.
The plan is to charge businesses a fee equal to the property taxes they would pay on privately owned facilities. The land is exempt from property taxes because the university owns it.
Bingo6 posted at 4:19 am on Thu, Aug 23, 2012.
Wouldn't it be nice if a real college actually focused itself on raising its academic standards rather than developing a faux-pro football franchise to satisfy s bunch of drunken sots in the parking lot.W
tededitedit posted at 8:29 pm on Wed, Aug 22, 2012.
This is wrong and should be fought. Government can compete with other levels of government and private enterprise by creating their own district? Will they pay Tempe for fire protection? Will they establish a Code Compliance Department for the residential areas? Non-profit, public education, professional/college athletics - it's all a blur anymore.
VofReason posted at 12:55 pm on Wed, Aug 22, 2012.
And in other completely unrelated news (wink wink) the Board of Regents have announced another Tuition hike........