Supporters of the Tempe Entertainment District have responded to those against the project who have aired grievances.
The city has been embroiled in controversy because of the proposed Tempe Entertainment District, from a number of residents joining forces to push against it to the city of Phoenix issuing a lawsuit to suspend the project.
After receiving unanimous approval from Tempe City Council in late 2022, the Bluebird Developments project, a 46-acre multiuse development replacing a former landfill, was sent to the ballot to allow voters the choice of whether to proceed with the project. Voters will be asked to vote on the project May 16.
Tempe Wins, a community group of supporters sponsored by Bluebird Developments, hosted a media event March 30 in response to their opposition’s growing presence and legal issues with the airport.
Previous Tempe mayors, representatives from the Coyotes and other community stakeholders spoke in support of approving the entertainment district and against the “extortion and bullying” they say they’ve encountered, addressing the issues with the planned residential units that Phoenix is suing over.
Phoenix and Sky Harbor agree with the project at large, but the lawsuit filed March 28 stems from a reportedly lengthy and brutal negotiation concerning the construction of multifamily housing to be built in an area that’s been deemed “incompatible” with residential development by the Federal Aviation Administration.
(Independent Newsmedia/Caroline Yu)
Addressing the issues with Sky Harbor, former Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman acted as the primary source on the lawsuit, sharing his expertise as a former city official and what he experienced finalizing the project proposal he called “spectacular.”
His speech followed fellow former mayors Harry Mitchell, Mark Mitchell and Neil Giuliano.
“When you get the four of us on the same side of an issue, you absolutely know it’s the right thing to do,” Hallman said.
He commended the work invested in this project by the community and said this project was brought about with Tempe at the forefront of the developer’s mind and city council ensuring that Tempe would never be at risk because of this deal.
Issues in the sky
Going into his experience with Sky Harbor, Hallman said Phoenix is protecting its interests by limiting the development potential of Tempe through its latest litigation — something he says has been a recurring issue with new projects in the city.
“Their lawsuit is a complete fabrication, and it is a political document not a legal one,” he said.
The lawsuit alleges Tempe is in breach of a contract with Phoenix that was established to mitigate flight paths disturbing Tempe residents.
In this contract, an area was defined by the Federal Aviation Administration as unsuitable for future residential developments because of noise, and Tempe “promised to prevent new residences from being developed along much of this flight path and, more generally, on the airport’s east side,” according to the lawsuit.
Phoenix and Sky Harbor are led to believe the residential units would violate this agreement, with the special election redesignating parts of the 46-acre parcel as residential rather than industrial.
Hallman went on to say when the agreement was made, Sky Harbor and Tempe were deliberating on whether single-family housing would be built in the noise zone, ultimately deciding no, but permitting future multifamily housing.
This claim was backed by a 2013 letter that stated the construction of multifamily housing was okay, however, Phoenix holds Tempe has gone back on the initial agreement and is willing to expose many Tempe residents to aircraft disturbances.
“When somebody holds a project hostage, like this Tempe Entertainment District, not to achieve goals specific to that project, but to achieve other goals. I call that extortion,” Hallman said.
Other voices
Other speakers included the Coyotes’ Xavier Gutierrez, Lawson Crouse, Christian Fischer, and Andre Tourigny as well as Fabian Sandez of the Arizona Carpenters Union.
Alexis Meruelo, chair of the Arizona Coyotes Foundation Board of Directors and representing her father, also provided comments at the gathering on her father’s dedication to “working hard and honestly” along with further details on what they hope to accomplish with the Tempe Entertainment District.
“We strongly believe that professional sports are a vessel to amplify the community and to advocate for that. We are committed to investing in Tempe well beyond this project, and we want to see the city’s residents and small businesses flourish,” Meruelo said.
She added that the Coyotes Foundation supports more than 50 Valley nonprofits, invests in youth hockey programs and actively aims to bring in diverse voices to their organization.
(Independent Newsmedia/Caroline Yu)
Aside from the schedule of speakers, former City Council Member Lauren Kuby made an appearance at the close of the event as one of the outspoken residents opposing the Tempe Entertainment District through the community action group Tempe 1st.
Kuby came out against the project recently, pointing to lacking environmental and sustainability considerations that have been taken in developing the project among other reasons.
Speaking at the Tempe Wins event, she shared the rival perspective on Phoenix’s lawsuit, saying she’s spoken to residents who are concerned with the potential noise pollution to come.
“What’s clear is that this developer brings division wherever he goes,” Kuby said.
While Kuby was speaking to the media, passionate supporters repeatedly yelled at the former council member for her husband’s alleged vested interests in the deal, saying her critiques of the project “have to do with money.”
Reporter Caroline Yu can be reached at cyu@iniusa.org. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Caroline Caroline Yu joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2020 as a summer intern covering Scottsdale. As an intern, she continued her coverage of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Tempe. After graduating in 2022, Caroline became a full-time reporter for Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. She is currently reporting for the Tempe market.
Community: She is a supporter of the environment and tries to get involved with related community events.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, with a minor in French.
Random Fact: She used to be a ballet dancer for 10 years.
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In this contract, an area was defined by the Federal Aviation Administration as unsuitable for future residential developments because of noise, and Tempe “promised to prevent new residences from being developed along much of this flight path and, more generally, on the airport’s east side,” according to the lawsuit. 
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