Early Voting on Gaylord Resort - Prop 300 - Starts Next Week

Starting next week, the voters of Mesa will have a chance to vote on Proposition 300. This issue is regarding the Gaylord Resort in Southeast Mesa. The reason we are voting on this is because the City of Mesa has allowed the resort to use some of the bed tax dollars that they create to help market the project to tourists. Basically, its the same job that the CVB does now, but instead of going for all of Mesa, it would just go to helping this area.

The reason we have to vote on this is because a few years back, after the stadium debacle, some angry folks changed the Mesa charter to require a public vote on "various amenities, including convention centers." As a resort and convention center, Gaylord fits this definition.

We have spoken at length regarding the Gateway area and all of the exciting things that are happening around it. This is one of the bigger opportunities. One of the facts that stood out for me the most is that this is a billion (with a B) investment in Mesa from private companies. And that's just for the hotels alone. That doesn't even talk about any of the rest of the stuff that would come along with it or the people who would be attracted to it.

What about the improvements to the airport to handle the travelers that are coming to a convention? What about the business owners who want to be nearby to cater to convention-goers? What about the restaurants and other hotels who want to be nearby? How much would all of that add up to?

All of this for trading in some of the bed tax that the project creates for itself? As I have said before, if this development doesn't happen, these revenues don't exist at all.