Mayor Hiremath discussed Oro Valley's sports tourism objective in his 2017 "State of The Town" Speech. In these remarks, Mayor Hiremath defines Prop 454 as an economic development initiative. The following is excerpted from his speech.---
“Earlier this year, members of the community—including youth sport parents, athletes and Oro Valley user groups—asked Council to take action to construct additional sport fields at Naranja Park. While the Town Council adopted a 2015 Naranja Park Master Plan, our pay‐as‐you‐go approach to phased development was progressing too slowly to keep pace with user demand. So, after many conversations with user groups, stakeholders and a design firm, a proposal that meets the community’s request was presented, along with a plan for financing.
The proposal is a partial build‐out of the Master Plan, and includes only the elements that the community and park user groups have identified as being in greatest demand. The project would be funded through the issuance and sale of $17 million in general obligation bonds to be repaid through a secondary property tax, which sunsets after 20 years.
By law, Town Council cannot impose a property tax—only the voters can. So, this November, Oro Valley voters will decide on Prop 454.
I’m not going to advocate that you vote for or against this bond. But I am going to advocate that you learn the facts of Prop 454 so that you can make an informed decision on Election Day. Please visit the Town’s website to learn what’s included in the project and what it will mean for Oro Valley taxpayers. The fact that this item is even on the ballot for voter consideration is a direct result of Council’s willingness to adapt to the community’s needs. Whether or not it passes will be entirely up to the voters.
And in case you hadn’t heard: Major League Soccer has arrived in Oro Valley!
Thanks to our ongoing partnership with FC Tucson, the Hilton Resort and Visit Tucson, Major League Soccer rolled into Naranja Park in 2016 with Sporting Kansas City and Columbus Crew. And earlier this year, the New York Red Bulls used our fields for practice, and put on a free scrimmage game against FC Tucson.
I am pleased to announce that Major League Soccer will once again return to Naranja Park in 2018!
And here’s some news hot off the press: I’ve just learned that the finish line for the 2018 Tucson Marathon will now be right here, in Oro Valley.
Whether you’re a sports fan or not, it’s important to remember that these major events are coming to Oro Valley because we have invested in the development of recreational facilities that are of such high quality, they meet the standards for national competition, and when they aren’t in use for competition, our residents have daily access to those very same, world‐class facilities.
More importantly, sports tourism is a 9 BILLION dollar industry nationwide. These events bring thousands of athletes and guests into our hotels, restaurants and shops, where their sales tax and bed tax dollars are invested right back into the Town of Oro Valley.
That translates into financial resources to fund Town services and amenities. This is why the Town of Oro Valley continues to invest in economic development opportunities that support our businesses and attract visitors, all while simultaneously improving quality of life for our residents.”
Source: "2017 State of the Town" Speech
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