April 6th, 2012
District Board Approves $1M in Joint TCC Project
The District Board approves $1 million in a joint TCC spending project in an effort to quickly tackle some urgent issues related to the TCC. The District Board voted unanimously yesterday to approve progress and make the agreement public (See attached as approved by the District).
The issues addressed by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) were specifically pulled out of the mediation proceedings to jointly move forward swiftly on a TCC project. The very simple MOU approves fixing the TCC bathrooms and bleachers between the District and the City of Tucson government (City). It specifically lays out that the District and the City would each contribute up to $1 million to this joint project for a total injection of $2 million into the TCC.
“We have a shared ‘win’ here and we look forward to a joint press conference with the City folks,” said Board member Alberto Moore. The City and the District have been working together on this MOU for weeks. The City Mayor and Council are in the process of approving the MOU as well. When jointly approved, the MOU allows much-needed stabilizing improvements to the aging facility. Both bleachers and bathrooms would get immediate attention.
According to Jodi Bain, District Board Chair, “We are looking to move forward in a positive way with the City as our partner with this injection of $1 million and are poised to realize as quick a start as possible on this joint project. District representatives have already begun reaching out to the University Of Arizona College Of Architecture and various other local stakeholders in the anticipation of a green light,” said Ms. Bain.
“We’d like the work to be done by local companies if possible. It’s important to keep these jobs local,” said Board member Rick Grinnell. The District shares the community’s concerns about the state of disrepair at the TCC. It is the District’s hope that the renovations will contribute to a more enjoyable experience for the community when attending events at the TCC and that the renovations will aid with the efforts in attracting more shows.
The Board is pleased that despite the continued untangling of the finance, progress in the refurbishment of the TCC will begin. The MOU comes at a time when both parties have also agreed to a temporary freeze in the ongoing litigation. It also lays out the framework for further mediation discussions surrounding the Arena/I-10 Parcel property and other properties adjacent to the TCC.