Three state senators representing Mesa, AZ, voted down
their city's plan to build a stadium for the Cardinals on
Monday, according to Chris Moeser of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC.
The bill would have established a stadium district with two
other municipalities to build the $1.8B Rio Salado Crossing
football stadium and convention center. The defeat of the
bill "raises questions about where the project stands with
Mesa voters just three months before they decide whether to
approve a quarter-cent sales tax to help pay for the
project." Supporters of a "second" bill for a new arena for
the Coyotes "were so stunned ... they pulled their proposal
afterward." The bill "makes largely technical corrections
to the stadium district law, but it also would increase the
amount of state sales tax collected by the project."
Stadium lobbyist Steve Betts said once the new amendments
are "perfect" and the Senate is "comfortable, those senators
will be back on board" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/16).
OPEN THE DOOR, RICHARD! Coyotes Owner Richard Burke
said on Friday that even if America West Arena undergoes a
renovation to meet some of his team's needs, he has "no
intention" of keeping his team in downtown Phoenix beyond
the 2000-01 season (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/13).
