AZ voters will go to the polls on Tuesday in Mesa and
Scottsdale and decide the fate of the Rio Salado Crossing
project which would include a new facility for the NFL
Cardinals and the Los Arcos Mall development, as well as a
new arena for the Coyotes. Supporters of the $624M Los
Arcos proposal have "mounted a high-stakes campaign,"
placing $850,000 into a "Vote Yes Scottsdale" effort and
"dwarfing" the $38,000 fundraising efforts of their
opponents (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/16). Coyotes C Jeremy Roenick
helped announce Saturday that the Coyotes would build a
20,000-square-foot YMCA inside its proposed arena. Coyotes
President Shawn Hunter said that the deal "has been in the
works for months." More Hunter: "We don't think there's
anything curious about the timing. We're just glad it's now
and not never" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/15).
IN THE CARDS: In Phoenix, Robbie Sherwood reported that
the number of voters who cast ballots Tuesday for the future
of the $1.8B Rio Salado Crossing "is expected to be small,"
only about 15% of 211,000 registered voters in Mesa, Gilbert
and Queen Creek. Rattlers head coach Danny White, Suns head
coach Danny Ainge, Cardinals QB Jake Plummer and Fiesta Bowl
President John Junker "have voiced support for the project."
(AZ REPUBLIC, 5/16). In Phoenix, Dan Bickley wrote that if
the Rio Salado vote fails, "the Cardinals could be gone
within three years" (AZ REPUBLIC, 5/15).
