Rio Nuevo: TCC Improvements Under Discussion Include Arena Football

TCC Ticket office

TUCSON, Arizona – A recent article on TIBO website is reporting Rio Nuevo is currently working on landing an Arena Football League (AFL) expansion team that would play at the Tucson Convention Center in Downtown Tucson.  At last month’s Rio Nuevo meeting, the board approved up to $400,000 in additions that would make the arena suitable to play arena football in.  These improvements are, of course, dependent on an AFL expansion team choosing Tucson.  The money would be spent on a turf field, goalposts and some additions to the locker room facilities.  The AFL plays its games during the Spring and Summer months, so there would be no scheduling conflicts with the Tucson Roadrunners Hockey team.

Future Arena Football isn’t all that Rio Nuevo is hoping for TCC’s future.

Phase one of the TCC improvements were completed in 2015 and included new restrooms, a ticket office, concession stands, seats, lighting, sound, digital signage outside and inside along with a video board.  The majority of the $7.8 million first phase of improvements to the TCC took place on the arena portion, getting the electronic infrastructure up to par with other arenas across the Country in order to draw more shows to the venue.

TCC home to Tucson Roadrunners Hockey

Now under discussion, Rio Nuevo would move on to other improvements to make the convention center more competitive with others around the U.S.  Architectural firm, Swaim Associates came up with a list of over $50 million worth of improvements that the TCC should have, although Rio Nuevo acknowledges they cannot afford all of the improvements at once.

Phase two being discussed, would include the most necessary projects totaling about $10 million.  This would include $4 million in improvements to the ballroom, $1.5 million to upgrade the rest of the center’s restrooms, $3.5 million to create a conference center with a high-tech board room and another $1 million in additional upgrades to locker rooms, green rooms and dressing rooms.

Phase three could possibly then move on to build a $6 million west side addition to the exhibition hall, $2 million on premium seating in the arena and $12 million to add meeting rooms.  Finally, phase four would include an $18 million parking garage on the west side of the TCC, on top of the existing surface parking lot near Granada Avenue and Cushing Street.  Combined with the new hotel planned for the east side of the TCC by Caliber Hospitality, Tucson should become much more competitive in the convention and events markets, helping boost tourism dollars and downtown economy significantly.  Also, Caliber Hospitality hired an architect to design the hotel a month or two ago, so we should get a look at the future hotel soon, as well.

None of this suggestions have reached final approval by the Rio Nuevo Board yet.

Rio Nuevo chairman Fletcher McCusker has stated that chances are “better than 50 percent” of landing the Arena Football League, due in part to the success Tucson has shown in supporting the Tucson Roadrunners, an American Hockey League franchise connected with the Arizona Coyotes NHL team.

 




Tucson Celebrates The 10th Agave Heritage Festival April 27 – May 6th

TUCSON, ARIZONA — The Agave Heritage Festival,  recognized as one of the world’s best small festivals, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a 10-day schedule showcasing over 25 events throughout Tucson.  The weeklong + festival features a variety of regional culinary experiences, lectures and seminars on the diversity and sustainability of the agave plant, two documentary screenings at the iconic Loft Cinema, and a FREE Family Friendly Cinco de Mayo celebration at one of the top tourist attractions in Tucson, Tohono Chul.

The Festival has gained significant support throughout the community this year with partners Visit Tucson, Rio Nuevo, the Tucson City of Gastronomy, Tohono Chul, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, and other local businesses. Many of the events featured in the festival are fundraising events to help support local organizations like Mission Garden and Native Seeds SEARCH.

With the exponential growth in events and attendance expectations this year, creating a dedicated website was important to unfold the details of the entire festival. Visit www.agaveheritagefestival.com for easy navigation to all events with quick ticket purchase options.

Known for bringing experts in the fields of regional food, agriculture, and sustainability together, The Agave Heritage Festival welcomes many guests this year, including Elizabeth Johnson, founder and executive chef of Pharm Table from San Antonio, recently named the second City of Gastronomy in the United States, to be a guest chef for the annual Agave Heritage Dinner.

The University of Arizona will give the 2018 Howard Scott Gentry award to Patricia Colunga-García Marín and Daniel Zizumbo-Villarreal, whose award-winning documentary, The Mesoamerican Diet, will be featured at the first ever Agave Heritage Festival documentary screening at The Loft Cinema.

This festival is about much more than just spirits, but there will be drinking, excuse me, SIPPING!  Many of Tucson’s largest distribution companies are supporting the festival this year by extending the best in mezcal, bacanora, sotol, and tequila from their artisinal portfolios.

Many new ground-breaking events have been added to the festival this year:

  • April 27 | An Evening with Janos: Celebrating Tucson’s Culinary Master – This Native Seeds SEARCH fundraising dinner event will feature local chefs preparing their take on Janos classic recipes.
  • April 29 | Agave Garden Planting – Be a part of Tucson history and join the planting of an agave garden on Tumamoc Hill.
  • May 4 | El Tambo Fest, Night Two – Extending the annual borderland music event to two nights, DJ Dirty Verbs invites musicians and producers from all around to meet in Tucson for a night filled with great music and panel discussions.
  • May 4 | Agave Heritage Dinner -The only two US Cities of Gastronomy, Tucson and San Antonio, TX, come together for an exploration of Sonoran heritage cuisine in this once-in-a-lifetime collaborative dinner. Special guest Elizabeth Johnson, founder of Pharm Table, named one of the “Top 10 New Restaurants in San Antonio” collaborates with Maynards Market & Kitchen Executive Chef Brian Smith and Cup Cafe Executive Chef Joe Decker to bring you an exquisite course dining experience.
  • May 5 | Free Family Friendly Cinco De Mayo – Visit Tohono Chul from 12-4pm for an event filled with the traditions of the southwest. Enjoy authentic presentations from jimadors, mariachi band performances, roasted agave tastes, food vendors, agave spirit tastings, movie screenings, a local produce farmers market, artist displays, games for the kids, and much more!
  • May 6 | Agave Heritage Brunch – Not your ordinary Sunday brunch! Maynards Kitchen’s Chef Brian Smith & Tohono Chul’s Chef Michael Montesano collaborate on a very special Sunday Brunch menu that incorporates local, wild crafted foods. Gary Nabhan and Barry Infuso will discuss the heritage of the local, native ingredients as Kyle Bert brings you sounds playing Didgeridoo music.

Join these events and more as the city of Tucson explores the significance of the agave, deeply rooted in the fibers of our border town.

For full article in Downtown Tucson Partnership Click Here.

 

 




Rio Nuevo Extended by State Legislature from 2025 to 2035

TUCSON, ARIZONA — House Bill 2456, which extends Rio Nuevo from 2025 to 2035, has been approved by the Arizona House and Senate Commerce and Public Safety Committee and last week passed the full Senate 21-9 heading to Governor Ducey’s desk for signature.

Board Chairman Fletcher McCusker said that the success Rio Nuevo has had in advancing its proposed 10-year extension in the Arizona Legislature is due to “our willingness to show people our work.”

“The reason we’ve been so successful in Phoenix is we’ve shown the economics of every single project,” McCusker said.

Rio Nuevo has invested $32.5 million of Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District sales tax revenue returned by the state to launch 20 projects valued at nearly $366 million.

The estimated sales tax generated from construction of all Rio Nuevo-assisted projects is $29 million.

“We’ve had people criticize us for wasteful spending,” McCusker said. “This is just the opposite.”

The Board recently heard updates and took action, as needed, on three projects moving forward:

  • Sunshine Mile: The Board voted unanimously to allocate up to an additional $75,000 for consultant services from Project for Public Spaces and for architectural services to develop plans for remnant properties affected by the Broadway widening that the City of Tucson is expected to deed to Rio Nuevo. The Board also authorized counsel to draft and disseminate a Request for Qualifications for the architectural services.
    The Regional Transportation Authority is expected to approve an intergovernmental agreement with Rio Nuevo and the City next week. As soon as it is signed, Rio Nuevo will begin working with local merchants and local developers on 39 unique properties north of Broadway. The properties will then be leased, returned to the tax rolls and ultimately sold with the proceeds going to the RTA.
  • 75 E. Broadway: The Board was told that a development agreement with JE Dunn Construction would be executed this week. That starts a 120-day period during which Rio Nuevo will obtain the necessary pre-construction clearances and surveys for the site and develop a ground lease with Pima County and a sublease with JE Dunn. Meanwhile, JE Dunn will assess its ability to proceed with construction of a building up to 20 stories tall at Broadway and 6th Avenue with 250,000 square feet of office space, 40,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 500-600 cars.
  • Toole & 7th Avenue Restaurant Project: The Board voted unanimously to authorize its counsel and executive officers to finalize a lease/purchase agreement that enables development of a new restaurant and beverage establishment at 35 E. Toole in the Warehouse District without a commitment of cash from Rio Nuevo.

The Rio Nuevo Board investments it has made downtown Tucson, the private funds it has attracted and the progress of its projects can be found here:  https://rionuevo.org/financial-reports-2/