Real Estate Daily News Buzz is designed to give news snippets to readers that our (yet to be award winning) editors thought you could use to start your day. They come from various business perspectives, real estate, government, the Fed, local news, and the stock markets to save you time. Here you will find the headlines and what the news buzz for the day will be.

Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average closed at 16,501.65, unchanged on the day. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 3.22 points, or 0.2%, to 1,878.61 and the NASDAQ composite rose 21.37 points, or 0.5%, to 4,148.34. Benchmark U.S. crude for June delivery rose 50 cents to close at $101.94 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

FDA EASES INTO REGULATING E-CIGARETTES
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government’s move to regulate e-cigarettes is a leap into the unknown. Proposed rules, issued Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration, tread fairly lightly. They would ban sales to anyone under 18, add warning labels and require FDA approval for new products. Some public health experts say a measured approach is the right one. They think that the devices, which heat a nicotine solution to produce an odourlessvapour without the smoke and tar of burning tobacco, can help smokers quit. Still, some wonder whether e-cigarettes keep smokers addicted or hook new users and encourage them to move on to tobacco. And some warn that the FDA regulations could have unintended consequences.

US PROPOSES PAY FOR PRIORITY INTERNET STANDARDS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The nation’s top telecoms regulator is proposing to allow a pay-for-priority fast lane on the Internet for movies, music and other services to get to people’s homes. Under the proposal, an access provider could demand that high-traffic services such as Netflix pay for preferential treatment. The proposal would include safeguards to make sure the arrangements don’t harm consumers or stifle competition and free speech. Consumer advocates say the proposed system would inevitably allow deep-pocketed Internet giants like Netflix, Google and Facebook to maintain their edge over startups because they can pay to ensure snappier connections and clearer, uninterrupted video.

MANUFACTURERS SEE BETTER TIMES FOR ECONOMY, JOBS
NEW YORK (AP) — Companies are finally starting to spend some of the cash they’ve been sitting on, and that could mean a stronger economy and more jobs on the way. U.S. industrial leaders such as General Electric, Honeywell and Caterpillar have been posting strong financial results in recent weeks and telling investors that orders are strong. Economists say that means other large companies are investing in expensive equipment they need to grow their business. Big manufacturers have cut costs, slimmed down their operations and accumulated cash since the financial crisis. Now, finally, the economies of the U.S. and Europe are showing steady progress, which makes their customers more confident and willing to spend.

GM SAYS SECURITIES REGULATORS ARE PROBING RECALL
DETROIT (AP) — U.S. securities regulators are looking into General Motors’ delayed recall of more than 2 million cars with a deadly ignition switch problem. GM disclosed in a quarterly report Thursday that the Securities and Exchange Commission has made inquiries about the recall. It also confirmed for the first time that the U.S. Attorney’s office in New York and an unidentified state attorney general are conducting investigations. Congress and federal highway safety regulators also are investigating. The SEC likely is probing whether GM failed to disclose the switch problem to investors quickly enough, said Peter Henning, a former SEC lawyer who now is a law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit.

FOR AIRLINES NOT NAMES UNITED, IT WAS A GREAT 1Q
DALLAS (AP) — Even with the turbulence of severe winter storms and stubbornly high fuel prices, many of the major airlines are cruising and their stock prices are soaring. Mergers have reduced competition and made it easier for the airlines to limit the supply of seats and raise average fares. Extra fees bring in billions more each year. On Thursday, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported record profits for the first quarter, usually the weakest time of year for the airlines. That followed a rousing report from Delta Air Lines a day earlier. Still stuck on the tarmac: United Airlines. While rivals were making money, United lost another $609 million during the first three months of the year.

AMAZON’S 1^ST QUARTER NET INCOME JUMPS
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon’s first-quarter profit rose 18% as shoppers continued to flock to the online mega retailer to buy goods. The results beat market expectations and shares rose in aftermarket trading Thursday. Amazon has long focused on spending the money it makes to grow its business and expand into new areas, from movie streaming to e-readers and even grocery delivery. While investors have largely given Amazon a pass for focusing on growth and investing rather than turning a strong profit, Amazon has been making some moves lately to strengthen its bottom line.

STARBUCKS PROFIT CLIMBS AS US SALES INCREASE
NEW YORK (AP) — Starbucks reported a stronger quarterly profit on Thursday as customers in the U.S. continued shelling out more money at its cafes. The Seattle-based chain said global sales at established locations rose 6 per cent for its second fiscal quarter, including in the U.S., where it has more than 11,000 cafes. Operating margin also improved as a result of lower costs for ingredients, and the company raised its profit outlook for the year. Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead said that the domestic sales increase was the result of an uptick in customer visits, as well as people spending more on average when they visited.

TESLA’S MUSK PAID $70,000 IN 2013
DETROIT (AP) — Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk was paid just under $70,000 in 2013. But he could be in line for much, much more. According to a filing with regulators Thursday, Musk made a base salary of $33,280 in 2013 – the minimum he was required to make under California law. He got an additional $36,709 in company bonuses. Tesla says Musk, the billionaire founder of PayPal and rocket-building company SpaceEx, only accepts $1 and returns the rest to the company. Musk could someday rake in much more — under a compensation package approved in 2012, Musk was awarded options to buy nearly 5.3 million shares of Tesla stock at $31.17 each. The stock closed Thursday at $207.86, making those shares worth more than $1 billion.

FDA OKs FIRST-EVER DNA ALTERNATIVE TO PAP SMEAR
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health regulators have cleared a genetic test from Roche as a first-choice screening option for cervical cancer, a role previously reserved for the Pap smear, the decades-old mainstay of women’s health. The Food and Drug Administration approved Roche’s test to detect the human Papillomavirus, or HPV, in women 25 and up. HPV causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer. Doctors already use such DNA-based tools as a follow-up to confirm Pap test results. But Thursday’s decision means Roche can now market its test as a stand-alone option for cervical cancer screening, ahead of the Pap test. Currently no major medical guidelines recommend HPV testing alone for cervical cancer screening.

TOKYO COURT STARTS MT.GOX BITCOIN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS
TOKYO (AP) — Bankruptcy proceedings began Thursday for the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange, a move that was widely expected after the Tokyo District Court decided earlier this month that the company would not be able to resurrect itself. An administrator will try to sell its assets, but many creditors, including those who had bitcoins with the exchange, might not get their money back. After Mt. Gox went offline in February, its CEO, Mark Karpeles, said tens of thousands of bitcoins worth several hundred million dollars were unaccounted for. Under the bankruptcy proceedings, Karpeles’ liability will be investigated, Mt. Gox said in a statement.

TUCSON CITY COUNCIL RESTORES SOME PARKS FUNDING
TUCSON – Tucson City Manager Richard Miranda yesterday formally presented his budget recommendations to the Mayor and Tucson City Council. Council Members stated their opposition to cutting parks funding and staff, reducing funding to outside agencies, and raising business license fees. They unanimously approved moving $500,000 proposed for the General Services budget to the Parks budget. A public hearing on the proposed final budget is scheduled for May 6, with tentative adoption slated for May 20. A final vote is planned for June 3.Read the City Manager’s Recommended Budget: https://1.usa.gov/1l8vYF7

UA CLASS PRESENTS STREETCAR MARKETING PLAN
TUCSON – The Integrated Marketing Communications class Tuesday gave its final presentation to local political and business leaders on the marketing campaign it developed for the Sun Link Tucson Streetcar. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and City Manager Richard Miranda were among those who listened to the students’ ideas. One of the recommendations from the class was to allow students to pay for a SunLink pass through their Bursar’s accounts. UA Parking and Transportation says it is making that recommendation a reality.
From the Arizona Daily Wildcat: https://bit.ly/1iiNgtD

PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK EVENT THIS WEEKEND
TUCSON – The Tucson Police Department (TPD) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) again are sponsoring the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative this Saturday. During the event, the public can bring unwanted or unused medications to either of two drop-off locations, where they can be turned over for disposal. This service is free and anonymous. The drop-off sites are at the TPD Eastside Service Center, 9760 E. Golf Links Rd (just east of Harrison Rd) and the TPD Westside Service Center, 1310 W. Miracle Mile (northeast corner of Miracle Mile & Flowing Wells Rd). Both sites will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Please do not bring sharps, needles, I.V. medications, glass containers, or inhalers.
Read more about the event: https://1.usa.gov/1lJYsmW

TRAFFIC ALERT: GRANDE AVENUE RESTRICTIONS THIS WEEKEND
TUCSON – Grande Avenue will be the site of the annual Fiesta Grande this Saturday and Sunday. The Fiesta runs from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Beginning Friday, at approximately 6 a.m., the southbound, right lane of Grande Avenue will be closed between West Delaware Street and West Saint Clair Street. At about 7 p.m. Friday, Grande Avenue will be closed to all vehicular traffic between Saint Marys Road and Speedway Boulevard. All traffic should return to normal at approximately midnight Sunday.
Read the news release: https://1.usa.gov/1rmkY98

Real Estate Daily News Buzz is designed to give news snippets to readers that our (yet to be award winning) editors thought you could use to start your day. They come from various business perspectives, real estate, government, the Fed, local news, and the stock markets to save you time. Here you will find the headlines and what the news buzz for the day will be. The U.S. stock market finished slightly lower on Wednesday, adding to its losses so far this year. A survey on hiring did little to ease uncertainty about the health of the economy.

Monday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 181.55 points, or 1.1%, to 16,247.22. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index added 17.70 points, or 1%, to 1,858.83 and the NASDAQ composite gained 34.55 points, or 0.8%, to 4,279.95. Benchmark U.S. crude for April delivery fell 81 cents to close at $98.08 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

YELLEN TO PUT FED’S NEW LEADERSHIP ON DISPLAY
WASHINGTON (AP) —The Janet Yellen era at the Federal Reserve begins in earnest this week with a two-day meeting, a policy statement and fresh economic forecasts. Yet all that will be a prelude to the marquee event: Yellen’s first news conference as Fed chair. The financial world will be parsing every word for any hint of a policy shift.

ANOTHER GM RECALL: 1.18M SUVs FOR AIR BAG ISSUE
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors issued a new recall of 1.5 million vehicles Monday, part of an effort to assure buyers that it’s moving faster to fix safety defects in its cars and trucks. In a video message to employees posted Monday, CEO Mary Barra said the new recall resulted from a push to review potential safety issues and resolve them more quickly. It’s part of the fallout from the recall last month of more than 1.6 million small cars for defective engine switches. The defect is linked to 12 deaths, and GM is facing multiple investigations into how it handled the recall. GM first began investigating the switches in 2004. The recalls announced Monday include 1.18 million SUVs over air bags, 303,000 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans because the material on the instrument panel might not adequately protect unbelted passengers’ heads in a crash and 3,900 Cadillac XTS sedans because a plug in the brake assembly can get dislodged and short, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.

VODAFONE AGREES TO BUY SPAIN’S ONO FOR $10 BILLION
LONDON (AP) — British telecommunications company Vodafone agreed on Monday to buy Spain’s Ono for 7.2 billion euros ($10 billion) as it seeks to expand operations across Europe. The deal is part of a broader trend of mergers and takeovers in Europe, where the mobile industry is split among some 150 major operators crisscrossing national lines, compared to just four in the United States. Grupo Corporativo Ono S.A. provides phone, mobile and television services to 1.9 million customers and has the largest “next-generation network” in Spain, reaching 7.2 million homes, or 41 percent of the country. Vodafone says Ono has abundant spare capacity, giving it space to expand.

NAKAMOTO HIRES LAWYER IN NEWSWEEK BITCOIN FIGHT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The man Newsweek claimed is the creator of bitcoin has hired a lawyer in an attempt to clear his name, repeating a denial he made to The Associated Press more than a week ago that he has never had anything to do with the digital currency. In a statement issued by his lawyer, Ethan Kirschner, Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto said Monday that he “did not create, invent or otherwise work on” bitcoin. In the magazine’s return to print this month after more than a year, Newsweek’s cover story declared Nakamoto to be the “face behind bitcoin.” Despite the repeated denials, the magazine has stood behind the story. Nakamoto, 64, did not say whether he plans to sue the magazine.

YAHOO STOCK SURGES IN ANTICIPATION OF ALIBABA IPO
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yahoo is benefiting once again from its stake in China’s hottest Internet company, Alibaba Group. Investors latched on to Yahoo on Monday in anticipation of a huge windfall from Alibaba’s initial public offering of stock later this year. Yahoo’s stock gained $1.51, or 4 percent, to close at $39.11. Alibaba ignited the excitement about its forthcoming IPO by announcing plans to list its stock on a U.S. exchange. Yahoo Inc. is expected to sell about half its 24 percent stake in Alibaba as part of an IPO that analysts believe could raise $15 billion. That means Yahoo is likely to collect several billion dollars from AIibaba’s IPO. That money could then be used to pay a special dividend to shareholders or buy back more of its stock.

NEW UNCERTAINTY ABOUT MISSING MALAYSIAN PLANE
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Officials revealed a new timeline Monday suggesting the final voice transmission from the cockpit of the missing Malaysian plane may have occurred before any of its communications systems were disabled, adding more uncertainty about who aboard might have been to blame. The search for Flight 370, which vanished early March 8 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board, has now been expanded deep into the northern and southern hemispheres. Australian vessels scoured the southern Indian Ocean and China offered 21 of its satellites to help Malaysia in the unprecedented hunt. With no wreckage found in one of the most puzzling aviation mysteries of all time, relatives of those on the Boeing 777 have been left in an agonizing limbo.

US HOMEBUILDER CONFIDENCE EDGES HIGHER IN MARCH
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. homebuilders’ confidence in the housing market edged higher this month, reflecting improved demand for new homes as the traditional spring home-selling season ramps up. But the outlook for sales of single-family homes over the next six months dimmed slightly as builders continue to grapple with a shortage of skilled workers, ready-to-build land and rising building materials costs. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Monday rose to 47. That’s up from February’s reading of 46. Readings below 50 indicate that more builders view sales conditions as poor rather than good.

EUROZONE INFLATION IN SURPRISE FALL TO 0.7%
LONDON (AP) — Pressure on the European Central Bank to do more to prevent prices from falling in the 18-country eurozone ratcheted up Monday after figures showed inflation across the region unexpectedly fell in February to its lowest level since October. Figures released Monday by the Eurostat statistics agency showed consumer prices were 0.7% higher in February than the year before. That was lower than the 0.8% initial estimate and took the annual rate down to the level it was in October, which was the lowest level since late 2009.

VOTER-APPROVED ROAD REPAIR WORK CONTINUES
TUCSON – Crews from Granite Construction Co., under contract with the City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT), will begin work tomorrow to improve the roadway conditions on Kolb Road from Golf Links Road to Wilmot Road via Grant Road north of Tanque Verde Road, and 22nd Street from Kolb Road to Swan Road. These pavement improvement projects are part of the voter-approved $100 million, five-year “Road Recovery” bond program. Both projects will begin with crews lowering manhole and water valve covers. The work will take place Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. through Friday, April 18, 2014.  During the utility-lowering phase of the projects, crews will close one travel lane while maintaining two travel lanes in each direction.

PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT FOR SUN TRAN PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES AND FARE INCREASES
TUCSON – The City of Tucson is seeking public comment on proposed service changes and fare increase that could go into effect in July 2014, if approved. The proposed service changes would affect 28 of the 40 fixed routes. These proposals were based on a report developed to help bridge the $33 million gap predicted in the City’s general fund for Fiscal Year 2015, and would decrease the City’s general fund contribution to transit. You can email comments to suntraninfo@tucsonaz.gov, call (520) 792-9222, or mail them to: Sun Tran, Attn: Marketing, 3920 N. Sun Tran Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85711. There are also several Open House events, which you can find in the news release link below.

Real Estate Daily News Buzz is designed to give news snippets to readers that our (yet to be award winning) editors thought you could use to start your day. They come from various business perspectives, real estate, government, the Fed, local news, and the stock markets to save you time. Here you will find the headlines and what the news buzz for the day will be.

Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 15.93 points, or 0.1%, to close at 15,755.36. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 0.18 points, or 0.01%, to 1,775.32. The NASDAQ composite rose 2.57 points, or 0.06%, to 4,000.98. Benchmark U.S. crude for January delivery dropped 90 cents to $96.60 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

ARIZONA UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS INCHED UP IN NOVEMBER

Arizona’s weekly initial unemployment claims have been up and down in November and for the third week they inched up to 4,654. The four-week average was also higher at 4,610. Nationally, initial claims for unemployment benefits were down sharply to a seasonally adjusted 298,000 for the week ending November 30. The national four-week moving average was also lower at 322,250.

IRELAND FACES MORE AUSTERITY AFTER END OF BAILOUT

DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland’s finance chief says the country’s exit from its international bailout this week should be celebrated as a eurozone triumph, but won’t mean an end to austerity for the debt-battered Irish. On Sunday, Ireland officially ends its reliance on a 67.5 billion-euro ($93 billion) loan program that European governments and the International Monetary Fund provided in 2010 to save the Irish from national bankruptcy. Ireland is the first country in the 17-member eurozone to regain economic sovereignty after a bailout, in contrast to Greece, Cyprus and Portugal. But Finance Minister Michael Noonan told a press conference Friday that investors in new Irish bonds would need to see the country continue to slash spending and deficits through 2015 at least.  Ireland has imposed austerity since a 2008 banking crisis.

TOYOTA TO ENTER SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — After a four-year legal battle, Toyota is entering settlement talks on hundreds of lawsuits that allege sudden unintended acceleration problems with its vehicles led to deaths and injuries. A motion filed late Thursday in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana indicated both sides would begin an “intensive settlement process” next month. The Japanese automaker, which has recalled millions of cars since 2009 over the issue, agreed to the negotiations to make resolving the cases more efficient, spokeswoman Carly Schaffner told The Associated Press on Friday.

ARIZONA BANKRUPTCIES CONTINUE DOWNWARD TREND

There were 1,560 bankruptcy filings for Arizona in November, down 14.8% compared to November 2012. The number of filings year-to-date were 20,662, down 20% from this time last year.

US WHOLESALE COSTS FALL FOR 3^RD MONTH ON CHEAP GAS

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. wholesale prices dropped in November for the third consecutive month, pushed down again by cheaper gasoline and lower home heating oil costs. But excluding volatile energy costs, inflation was mostly stable. The producer price index, which measures prices before they reach the consumer, declined 0.1% last month, the Labor Department said Friday. This comes after similar decreases in October and September. Both consumer and wholesale inflation have been running extremely low in the past year. High unemployment and weak wage increases have made it difficult for businesses to raise prices.

NEW DAILY PAPER PLANNED FOR LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The owner of the Orange County Register plans a new daily newspaper in Los Angeles, the boldest step yet in an expansion across Southern California that emphasizes printed publications while others in the industry are focusing on digital. The new seven-day-a-week paper will be known as the Los Angeles Register, Freedom Communications CEO Aaron Kushner told The Associated Press on Thursday night, a few hours after announcing the move to his staff in the Orange County Register’s newsroom. In addition, Kushner said the Register would open an unspecified number of Los Angeles community weeklies.

PLANS SCRAPPED TO BUILD ‘EURO VEGAS’ IN SPAIN

MADRID (AP) — Casino operator of the Las Vegas Sands on Friday scrapped plans to build a “EuroVegas” resort near Madrid after the Spanish government rejected as illegal concessions demanded for the investment. The company, led by 80-year-old American tycoon Sheldon Adelson, had proposed a 22 billion-euro ($30 billion) project that was to include 12 hotels, six casinos, a convention center, golf courses, theatres, shopping malls, bars and restaurants. The government in Spain, where unemployment stands at 26 per cent, had hoped it might create some 260,000 jobs, especially among the young, where unemployment is around 50 per cent. But the plan had been fiercely opposed by many who feared the resort would lead to a change in non-smoking laws, promote prostitution and provide only low-paying jobs.

GM GETS ABOUT $343 MILLION FOR PSA PEUGEOT CITROEN STAKE

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. got about $343 million for its 7 per cent stake in French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen. The Detroit company on Friday said that it completed the private placement sale of 24.8 million PSA shares for 250 million euros. GM bought the PSA stake in March 2012 for $402 million when the companies announced a car-building and purchasing alliance. That means the company will lose about $59 million on the deal.

END OF YEAR SHAPES UP TO BE PRIME CAR-BUYING TIME

DETROIT (AP) — If the spirit of giving — or of treating yourself — has inspired you to buy a car this holiday season, you’re in luck. Many local auto dealerships are overflowing with sedans, trucks and SUVs, so there are deals to be had. Most dealers have abundant supplies of 2013 models, and 2014s are arriving as automakers keep factories humming. Since dealers pay interest on money borrowed to buy the cars, they’re probably anxious to sell them soon. The December holiday season normally is a good time to buy as dealers clear out old models and sales people feel pressure to meet year-end targets. Some sales ran early this year as automakers tried to get a piece of the Black Friday retail holiday action.

We reported recommendations made by the independent panel from the Urban Land Institute for Downtown Tucson Market Forces, Retail Trade Area and Tucson Convention Center. Part One was published yesterday, and this is the second part of our report.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) advisory panel presented their findings to a room of about 200 people at the Tucson Convention Center on Friday. The ULI panel consisted of seven independent volunteers from real estate related disciplines were commissioned to address such issues as: market forces, best land use, retail, quality of life issues, and implementation for Downtown Tucson development. The panel interviewed 150 people during their week-long stay in Tucson.

The candid and unbiased input from these professionals was summarized in their report that stressed the importance of prioritizing projects, taking small steps towards long-term goals, while creating synergy within the community and leveraging limited public resources to encourage private sector investment.

The study area as shown in the map included the panel focusing on downtown Tucson, the TIF District, the Streetcar route and east and west side of I-10 in this area.

Streets in the District
Street have a role in setting the desert scale and serve to match service to demand. Parking needs to be strategically thought out for development and temporary events. Fortunately, the district is walkable, given proper signage of walkways for people to park and get to their destinations.

There are currently oversized streets for their traffic volume. Streets such a Church north of Broadway could be converted for street parking. The panel warned to beware of closing any streets and suggested adding streets back to the super blocks where possible.

Quality of life is closely related to how easy it is to move around downtown. The panel emphasized that bikes and streetcars are not compatible, and bike paths should be separated away from the streetcar route. The fixed Stravenues could also help bikers get around and keep them safely separated from the streetcar.

Implementation
The implementation of revitalization in downtown depends upon the strengthening of civic engagement and cooperation between the stakeholders. It is recommended that an ongoing advisory committee be established that would comprise one member from each of the following: City of Tucson, Pima County, Rio Nuevo, University of Arizona, Public Transportation, Neighborhood Groups, Retail, Developers, Non-governmental agencies, and office owners. The panel stressed the importance of an advisory committee being representative of the stakeholders and not comprise elected officials of the government organization. The advisory committee members would act as liaisons to serve on the advisory committee.

Other recommendations the panel made were to have an IT master plan that would include data collection, for instance pedestrian count today should be measured for date to compare later in the district. Transparency was also brought up as important to engage civic participation and support. A Citizen Ombudsman would go a long way in assisting developer and citizen issues / problems as they arise.

Downtown Tucson Partnership could be used to bring temporary events to the TCC, a temporary miniature golf course that was set up in Philadelphia for 30-days was used as an example of this. This allows for small steps to be taken that would increase pedestrian activities downtown without spending a lot of money.

Another example, was the use of the fountains at TCC which are in disrepair. The panel recommended that not all the fountains be activated at once, but maybe just the one in front of the Music Hall could be made to function and help the aesthetic appearance at this entrance.

Recommended La Placita be donated by the City for activities such as educational activities like children’s visits to the museum.

A digital public walking tour should also be considered, where visitors could click their cell phone to hear a brief history at certain spots, buildings, art pieces, etc.

In Summary:
The panel concluded that a detailed market analysis would be of benefit to determine market rates for multifamily. This would encourage a hotel development to the area and determine current office space in the district.

Economically, there are no sources for funding and fortunately for Tucson the TIF district was established. That, with free market forces working together can make this happen; but it will be done only with patience and teamwork. The public sources cannot do it without private capital and vice versa. Think small steps, a new arena is not needed unless the current TCC would be at full capacity.

It is as Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said in his opening remarks at the meeting, “This may be Tucson’s last chance to get it right.”

The volunteer panel members from the Urban Land Institute consisted of the following members: John Walsh, Alan Billingsley, Michael Berne, Charlie Johnson, Ross Tilghman, Peter Hasselman, and Jan Minana. The study was a public and private joint effort of  Pima County, the City of Tucson, Rio Nuevo, Pima Association of Governments, Visit Tucson, Tucson Electric Power and Holualoa Companies who paid for the study.