"Tempe Cesspool for the Arts"

aka "Tempe Center for the Arts"

Michael Crow and Hugh Hallman want everything in our wallets

  ASU President Michael Crow and Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman plan to spend our money like a drunken sailor for the next 10 years.

Source

10-year plan: Crow outlines 2020 vision for ASU

He predicts new stadium, 85,000 students

by Luci Scott - Nov. 19, 2010 12:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

Arizona State University President Michael Crow predicted Thursday that construction will begin within 10 years on a new Sun Devil Stadium and a 300-acre athletic complex stretching from Tempe Marketplace to the city center.

Crow commented on the plans during an address to the Tempe Chamber of Commerce, where he offered his vision for Arizona State University in 2020.

By then, he said, Tempe could be close to hosting Olympic trials and the Pan Am Games as a result of the athletic-facilities district that will be created in partnership with the city and private developers. He said he foresees new city streets, commercial and residential developments, and athletic venues for soccer, swimming and diving as well as football.

"We will build a new Sun Devil Stadium and construct other venues for amateur athletics," Crow said.

The Arizona Legislature passed a bill creating the mechanism for the district earlier this year. It is similar to what Maricopa County uses to fund the Cactus League, although the university would create its own approach for developing the district. Crow said ASU plans to lease land the university owns near downtown Tempe to developers and then collect development fees in lieu of taxes.

The district will be developed in cooperation with Tempe, Crow said.

"It will be an opportunity to advance the university, the city and athletics," he said.

Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman said he was in favor of the legislation because it would create economic growth in the area at no cost to the city. The new facilities could also bring more sporting events to Tempe, he said, pointing to the Ironman Triathlon and the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon as examples of events that bring in "massive amounts of money" to the economy every year.

"The kinds of youth- and amateur-sports facilities that support the university are a huge economic draw," Hallman said. "The football team pays for a whole lot more than the football program."

Crow also addressed other aspects of the university in 2020, projecting that it will have 85,000 students in 15 colleges at four or more locations by then. The university will bestow 25,000 degrees annually, compared with this year when 16,400 degrees were granted, he said. In addition, Crow said ASU's online presence will have dramatically increased, with 50,000 to 75,000 students taking courses online.

By 2020, as much as $700 million will be invested in research, double the $365 million of today, he said.

"Phoenix will be perceived as equal to Austin (home of the University of Texas) and other cities with a major research university," he predicted.

Crow also said some departments at ASU will be moved to other campuses in the near future.

"There will be movement of schools to other campuses," Crow said. The units won't necessarily be from Tempe to other campuses, and he said details will be announced soon.

The success of ASU is crucial to the economic health of Arizona, he said, because ASU is producing, discovering and advancing knowledge.

Arizona is one of nine states not recovering from the deep, prolonged recession, and one of five that may be in a recession for three more years, he added.

"I hope that's not the case, but we have not built a robust enough knowledge-based economy," he said.

"Arizona has the capacity to be one of the richest places on the planet," he said. "All we need are people with ideas and will."

Republic reporter Derek Quizon contributed to this article.

 


Tempe Center for the Arts

Tempe Cesspool for the Arts