The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Michael A. Chihak
Taxpayer-funded Rio Nuevo development district has transformed central Tucson into something other than the shiny, diverse downtown promised when its work began in 2000.
Rio Nuevo’s latest move is to push out two locally owned businesses so it can continue fulfilling a distorted vision for a downtown already saturated with bars, clubs and restaurants. Downtown lacks other business categories, especially locally-owned retail. Funky, grungy North Fourth Avenue does much better with local retail on much less taxpayer financing.
The district’s decision to support eviction of Borderlands Brewery and Playformance, a space for children’s activities of all kinds, in favor of a national comedy club chain is an affront to those local businesses and to we who fund Rio Nuevo with our tax dollars.
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That’s not how the anything-for-money poohbahs on the Rio Nuevo board saw it. They voted unanimously to award $2.1 million of our money to help renovate the building on East Toole Street for Live Nation’s comedy club, an adjacent pizza shop and a lounge. Another club, another restaurant and another bar coming downtown.
“This will be a fun place to have a weekend night out,” Rio Nuevo Vice Chairman Edmund Marquez told Tucson Spotlight. “It’s something we should celebrate.”
Should we also “celebrate” the evictions of two locally owned and operated businesses? Both are “fun places,” the brew pub for adults, Playformance for kids.
The disingenuous Marquez, with typical bluster and arrogance, said the two local operations knew another business was “possibly coming to that space” and they were on month-to-month leases.
He said he and others at Rio Nuevo were surprised when Tucsonans reacted negatively to the impending ouster of the local businesses, after Borderlands’ owner posted word of the eviction notice on social media. Rio Nuevo closed its downtown office early on April 24 because of protests over the decision.
Perhaps district officials should take that as a hint to reconsider what they are fostering. While some of our tax money has gone to small local businesses, the big beneficiaries have been Marriott, Hilton, Caterpillar and a handful of deep-pocketed local developers. A couple of them, frankly, might not be in business without taxpayer money from Rio Nuevo.
Yes, financing these developments contributes to the economy — attracting tourism, providing jobs, generating sales tax revenues. But at what cost to small local businesses and entrepreneurs, the ones without deep pockets who really need the support?
Perhaps inadvertently, Rio Nuevo Board Chairman Fletcher McCusker spelled out the cost when in late 2023 he celebrated the impending arrival downtown of national chain Starbucks.
“We see it as validation,” McCusker told the Arizona Daily Star’s This Is Tucson. He said it was a sign of downtown attracting the attention of national and international companies.
How exciting! Can’t wait for what’s next downtown. McDonald’s, anyone?
Michael A. Chihak is a retired newsman. He lives in Tucson.
