Mesa did it! They overwhelmingly passed Proposition 300 which lays the groundwork to bringing in a Gaylord Resort and Conference Center to East Mesa. Not only did Mesa pass the initiative, it passed with 84% voting in favor. While no one wants to overstate what the this could mean to Mesa and the East Valley, I have seen first hand what it did in Texas and Tennessee. Based on those results I am very optimistic it will be a huge success beyond most peoples wildest dreams.

Here is a comment that was recently posted on my blog by a Realtor at MBY Realty in Texas:

I am a realtor in the Grapevine, Texas area, and I also live in Grapevine. The Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center opened in our city in 2004. Since then, the economic growth the city has seen is amazing! The Gaylord Texan property is easily the best resort and convention facility in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. Our city is now nationally known for the home of this resort. The Gaylord property runs guest shuttles all day every day to our historic main street and shopping malls. They also host huge, months-long summer and Holiday festivities that are attended regularly by thousands from the Dallas Forth Worth Metroplex. Every Christmas season all our friends and family visit their spectacular lights display, and world famous ICE exhibit. Throughout the year they also feature fantastic live shows, music, cooking classes and seasonal events. It goes without saying that having the resort in our city is enjoyable, prestigious, and the economic ramifications have been beyond our best expectations. I don’t think you will find a person in Grapevine, Texas that isn’t happy that Gaylord Resorts chose our city.

I have repeatably looked at Mesa’s Proposition 300 which would create an opportunity to bring in a Gaylord Resort and Conference Center to East Mesa. I have made no secrets my opinion, which is Mesa needs to pass 300 and do everything they can to bring more economic development to the city.

As someone who has stayed at two Gaylord complexes over the last three years, I cannot speak highly enough about the facilities. The hotel and convention center, along with all the shops and restaurants inside the facility, are top notch and present a great opportunity for Mesa. Looking at the locations I have visited outside of Dallas and Nashville, the resorts are not only an economic boom for revenue they will bring in to the area, but also for the economic development they bring to the surrounding area. The old GM testing grounds in East Mesa would make a great location for such economic growth.

Mesa had an opportunity to do something great in bringing the Cardinals to the East Valley and turned that one down. They are getting a rare second chance and need to take advantage of this one. The big sacrifice Mesa will need to make is giving up a large portion of the room tax the Gaylord would generate. The Gaylord is asking for a temporary exemption so they can use the money to advertise the resort and generate even more tourism to the area. If there were no convention center there would be no revenue to collect. Mesa needs to look long term and approve Proposition 300.

Above is a rendering of what the Gaylord Resort would look like in East Mesa if Proposition 300 passes. I can assure you that this is only half the picture.

As I have mentioned in previous posts I have stayed at two Gaylord Resorts, and while both may have started like this picture represents, they did not stay that way for long. Gaylord’s have a reputation of springing up commerce all around them. Malls get erected, restaurants are built, shopping centers and entertainment opportunities sprout all around the complex up to support the tourists. Yes the Gaylord has all those things and more, but sometimes you just want to get away after being there for a conference all day and this brings even more opportunity and more tax revenue.

Not only will this bring more revenue, it will bring thousands of new jobs and new opportunities for home buyers and sellers alike. Houses in East Mesa, Gilbert and Queen Creek that currently empty will all of a sudden have new value and a new demand as more people will want to live closer to the new jobs.

Does Mesa need to give up some of the bed tax it would collect from the Gaylord to get it here? Yes, but here is the part you don’t hear often. If there is no Gaylord, there is no bed tax to collect in the first place.

Is this a savior for Mesa? Maybe not, but it will go a long ways towards helping. We lost out on bringing the Cardinals here, and look what it did for Glendale. Let’s not lose out again.

It is not often that I disagree with the Goldwater Institute and agree with the East Valley Tribune, but today is one of those days. Mesa has a great opportunity to make it the go to location in the Southwest for conventions if it lands the proposed Gaylord Resort. The proposed location for the resort is out at the old GM Proving Grounds in East Mesa. The project could help build up not only East Mesa, but also Queen Creek and Gilbert. 

In March voters will go to the polls and vote on Proposition 300 which would allow the Gaylord project to keep up to $51 million in hotel bed taxes for tourism marketing, rather than sending the money to the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mesa would also abate up to $90 million in property taxes for the resort and conference center. 

Mesa needs to think long term here. If you have been to a Gaylord Resort (I have stayed at two) you realize what a great opportunity they are for the local economy. Not only do they help the existing businesses, but they spring up dozens, if not hundreds of other businesses in the surrounding area to help support the visitors.

Mesa had an opportunity to bring the Cardinals to their City. They passed up on the opportunity, and we have all seen how that has benefited Glendale. I am sure if voters knew then, what they know now looking at the Glendale complexes, it would have been approved. Mesa cannot afford to lose another opportunity like they have now. They do not come around very often. 

Some argue the proposed deal is unconstitutional because the tax breaks are aimed to help one business. I completely disagree. The tax breaks are offered now to help bring in a business that will help the whole community. A break in taxes now will lead to many more millions in revenue in the future. If you are unsure go to the resorts outside of Dallas and outside of Nashville and look at the malls, restaurants and other businesses that are benefiting from the Gaylord resorts there.

Mesa AZ

The City of Mesa should receive a lot of credit for the work they have done over the last six months. They have controlled spending, looked at some great opportunities to bring in new revenue streams like the Gaylord Complex and now they are going out of their way to make it easy for Mesa businesses to do business with them.

The City is holding an open house on Tuesday December 9th from 3-6pm called “Mesa: Your Business, Your City.” The goal of the open house is to have more Mesa businesses do business with the City of Mesa. The event will be held in the Mesa City Plaza, 20 E. Main St., room 170.

The event is sponsored by the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development and the Mesa Chamber of Commerce. Representatives from various City departments, including Purchasing, Economic Development, Police, Fire and Mesa Arts Center will be present to explain the process of what products and supplies are ordered and what they need. Virtually all City departments make purchases and are always looking for new suppliers. The open house provides a great opportunity for Mesa businesses to conduct business with the City and understand the many components of Mesa’s decentralized procurement process.

Mesa District 5 Councilmember Dina Higgins is inviting her constituents to a free pancake breakfast on Saturday December 6th from 8am-10am. The event will be held at Fire Station 214, 5950 E. Virginia St in Mesa. Higgins is asking those attending to bring a canned good to donate. Those attending will have a chance to talk to their Councilmember as well as other city officials. The canned goods will be donated to the United Food Bank.

Gaylord

The Gaylord Entertainment Company has been been talking about building one of they hotel-conference centers in southeast Mesa since earlier this summer. The facility would be built around the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and would bring thousands of jobs to Mesa.

The project received a boost this past week as Gaylord dropped plans on a San Diego location and will concentrate more of its efforts on Mesa. The plans which were announced this summer would build a 1,200 room hotel, a golf course and a retail center. The only thing holding up the project right now is the bed tax. In March voters will have a chance to OK a deal that would rebate the bed tax to the Gaylord resort.

As someone who has stayed at two separate Gaylord locations I can tell you that these resorts and conference centers are first class all the way and would be a welcomed edition to the Mesa economy and real estate market.

e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government and Digital Communities magazine has named the City of Mesa one of the top digital cities in the nation through its eighth annual Digital Cities Survey. The 2008 Survey examined how cities use technology to create a seamless environment between local government and constituents.

The City of Mesa has recently started using Twitter. For those on Twitter you can follow me here.

I’m a fairly handy guy, I usually do most of my own automotive and other repairs. Recently I had a problem with my push mower and after tinkering with it for a few hours I could not get it to run. I assumed it was a carburetor problem, but wasn’t sure. I took the mower into Roy’s Lawnmower &GoKarts for service. They gave me an estimate of about ten days and $70. A little over a week later I get a call, it was my carburetor and the mower was ready to be picked up. The mower now runs great. In today’s world you to often find service shops and other establishments that do not meet their estimates or do not provide the level of service you would hope for. As mymoto goes, Commitment. Service. Results. I am glad there are still others that live by the same philosophy. Thanks for the great service! If you need a mower repaired Roy’s is at 3050 S. Country Club Dr #11 in Mesa.

Looking to pick up some used items at a good price? Mesa may be able to help. The City of Mesa holds surplus sales at their warehouse locations on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The items for sale are surplus items from the city and items picked up in police raids.

The warehouse is open from 8am until 12pm every Tuesday and Thursday. The warehouse is located at 7041 E Adobe, Mesa which is located North of University at Power Rd east on Adobe. For more information you can call 480-644-2663