PHOENIX — The bill that would create a new sports, tourism and film authority for southern Arizona cleared another hurdle this week.
On Monday, the state House Appropriations Committee passed SB 1710 by an 8-4 margin, with Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, who represents Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties, not voting.
The bill now moves to the Rules Committee. If Rules passes it, it moves to a vote of the full House. It passed out of the Senate on Feb. 17 by a 23-6-1 vote.
The bill was introduced by state Sen. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, who also represents Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties. Gowan’s bill has bipartisan support in the Legislature, but is facing opposition from leaders in Graham and Greenlee counties.
That’s because local leaders believe the bill would create additional taxes for Graham and Greenlee residents to fund construction of a new sports facility in Tucson, in an effort to bring MLB spring training back to Pima County.
Under the bill, the authority would focus solely on six counties — Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal and Santa Cruz — and board members must reside in those counties.
One board member each would represent the governments of the counties, three board members would represent tribes in the counties, and the final four board members have to represent specific sectors — one has to have experience in youth and professional sports, one with experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, one with experience in the film and digital media industry, and one with experience in workforce development.
Under the bill, the state will appropriate $500,000 to the new authority to use for its mission; however, the authority will also have the ability to issue bonds to raise capital, as well as acquire land via eminent domain.
