Timeline of Major AZSTA Events

1/31/00	Governor’s Plan B Task Force recommendations delivered.
4/24/00	SB1220 Signed into Law by Governor with general effective date of 7/18/00 (Ch. 372, Laws 2000)
7/21/00	Board of Directors public meeting # 1. James Grogan elected Chairman. Other Board members include Bill Peltier, Kate Monahan, C.A. Howlett and Denise Meridith appointed by the Governor; John Benton and Roc Arnett appointed by the Speaker of the House, and Herman Orcutt and Rod Williams appointed by the Senate President.
8/25/00	TSA issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) from potential site hosts.
11/7/00	Maricopa County voters approve Proposition 302 by a 52% to 48% vote, authorizing new tourism taxes and ratifying other elements of SB1220.
1/06/01	Ted Ferris named as President/CEO. TSA receives site proposals from 5 sites: Downtown Phoenix, Ft. McDowell Indian Community, Tempe, Tempe/Mesa, and West Valley (Avondale).
1/20/01	In a response to questions raised by the TSA, Tempe officials say they have received preliminary approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for their site near Washington Street and Priest Drive.
2/01/01	The Tempe and West Valley sites are selected as finalists.
2/13/01	TSA Board of Directors votes to build the Multipurpose Facility (MPF) at the Tempe location.
4/10/01	TSA establishes three committees: Youth Sports, Finance, and Construction.
5/01/01	First Tourism Tax Receipts Received by TSA for deposit in Tourism Revenue Clearing Account.
5/21/01	TSA Board of Directors approves South Mountain YMCA Youth Sports Project.
5/31/01	TSA approves intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Surprise and breaks ground on $48 million, two-team facility, new spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.
5/31/01	After 3 months of design and planning, Tempe and TSA submit the Tempe Papago Park Center site for review by the Federal Aviation Administration.
6/14/01	TSA unveils new Logo and launches website.
7/01/01	First Facility Related Revenues Received by TSA for deposit in Facility Revenue Clearing Account.
7/17/01	FAA letter issued raising concerns about Tempe site’s potential as a hazard to flight safety at Sky Harbor airport.
7/23/01	TSA Board of Directors ask the FAA to appoint a high-level official to help mediate discussions about the issues raised in the agency's preliminary evaluation.
7/31/01	Sports authority officials meet again with FAA investigators in California and suggest mitigation strategies, including shifting the stadium farther east and south of the direct flight path into the north runway at Sky Harbor.
8/02/01	Tempe and the sports authority announce an agreement to move the stadium a little over 1,600 feet east of its planned site, and 600 feet south of the runway's center line, away from a new and previously undisclosed flight procedure.
8/10/01	Phoenix developer John F. Long asks the state attorney general to declare the selection of the Tempe site illegal and block any more use of public money on the project.
8/22/01	TSA provides a comprehensive response to the FAA, outlining steps taken to address flight safety concerns and the plan to shift the stadium 1,600 feet farther from runway’s end (to where it would be 2.3 miles away).
9/04/01	The FAA says it will delay its final safety report until Oct. 7 to allow for public comment.
9/06/01	Attorney General Janet Napolitano rejects John F. Long's claims, ruling that the site was chosen within the law and rejecting his other claims as well.
9/10/01	Special action petition is filed by John F. Long asserting that the legislation creating the TSA is unconstitutional. The suit does not include any of the claims presented to the Attorney General on August 10.
9/11/01	Terrorist strikes in New York City and Washington, D.C. throw nations air transportation system in disarray; FAA places restrictions around public stadia and arenas throughout the U.S.
9/28/01	Board of Directors public meeting at the Wigwam resort in the West Valley. Board votes to approve the City of Avondale’s Youth Sports complex proposal.
10/12/01	TSA moves into offices at 14500 N. Northsight Blvd., Scottsdale, with a term that will last until openings of the MPF.
10/20/01	Valarie Miceli, a Valley hotel leader, appointed by Gov. Jane Hull to a vacancy on the Tourism and Sports Authority Board to replace Katharine Monahan.
11/05/01	Judge Mark R. Santana of Maricopa County Superior Court rules in favor of the TSA and against developer John F. Long's claim that the TSA statute unconstitutional. Furthermore, Judge Santana rules that the suit is barred by the Doctrine of Laches, in that Long waited too long to bring suit and had too prejudiced the defendants.
11/14/01	TSA Board of Directors votes to begin the process of finding a backup site to the Tempe location. Board also approves the Cardinals and Fiesta Bowl Use 30-year Agreements.
11/17/01	FAA rules that the Tempe site is a hazard to air navigation.
11/29/01	Board of Directors abandons Tempe site and hears public input on site selection process.
12/12/01	The Hon. Mark R. Santana of the Superior Court of Arizona denied John F. Long's request for a new trial.
12/14/01	Deadline for initial Expressions of Interest from sites were due to TSA by 5 p.m. A total of 18 sites were submitted by the deadline.
12/19/01	Open House #1 for public education and information on new site selection is held at Scottsdale Community College.
12/21/01	Board of Directors public meeting is held at Embassy Suites/Biltmore to review sites and narrow list (a total of 10 sites were selected). RFP issued to the 10 selected sites.
1/08/02	10 selected sites responding to RFP attend mandatory pre-proposal meeting at TSA offices.
1/16/02	Open House #2 for public education and information with site representatives is held at Midwestern University in Glendale.
2/07/02	Board of Directors public meeting at the construction site for the City of Surprise Spring Training Facility. Board votes to increase the TSA’s funding commitment for the Surprise project in exchange for the City continuing to fund the cost of construction through the conclusion of the Long lawsuit. Board also approves amendments to the Fiesta Bowl use agreement.
2/15/02	Deadline for detailed RFPs from six remaining sites. All six sites meet the 5 p.m. deadline. The six sites are: Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, City of Mesa, Gila River Indian Community, Downtown Phoenix Partnership, The Mashburn Companies, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
2/20/02	Phoenix City Council votes 7-0 to not put the stadium on the May 21 ballot, essentially withdrawing the Downtown Phoenix site (also known as the Fillmore site) from the site selection process.
2/22/02	Bus Tour of five remaining sites for review by TSA’s construction, financial/legal and multipurpose assessment teams.
2/28/02	Open House #3 for public education and information with site representatives is held at Embassy Suites in Phoenix. Board hears presentations by site representatives as well as public testimony on sites.
3/5/02	Board of Directors Meeting at Embassy Suites in Phoenix. Board narrows sites down to two finalists: City of Mesa and Gila River Indian Community.
3/19/02	Board of Directors Meeting at Embassy Suites in Phoenix. Final presentations from Mesa and Gila River are provided to board. Meeting to select winning site is scheduled for March 21.
3/20/02	Mesa requests additional time for finalizing proposal. With the agreement of Gila River Indian Community, TSA grants an additional week of time. Mar. 27 designated as new deadline for final Memorandum of Understandings to be completed.
3/20/02	Maricopa County Attorney Richard Romley publicly releases memorandum to Maricopa County Board of Supervisors questioning the legality of siting the stadium on tribal communities as well as siting the stadium on any site not offered prior to the Nov. 2000 election. The Chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors withdraws earlier letter of support. The state Attorney General and private Counsel to the Authority disagree strongly with Romley’s opinion.
3/21/02	Gila River Indian Community withdraws its site at Wild Horse Pass from consideration. The tribe cited the County Attorney’s memo as the primary reason for its withdrawal.
4/18/02	Youth and Amateur Sports Town Hall for stakeholders from throughout Maricopa County is held at TSA office in Scottsdale. Advisory committee formed and plans announced to develop an inventory of existing youth and amateur sports facilities in the county as well as those expected to come on line by 2004.
4/29/02	Mesa City Council votes 6-0 to approve a Memorandum of Understanding between Mesa and the TSA for their stadium site at loop 101/202 in northwest Mesa.
4/30/02	Board of Directors Meeting at Embassy Suites in Phoenix. The board votes 8-0 to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between Mesa and the TSA. The board also votes 8-0 to approve a resolution giving preference to Maricopa County companies and to require the architect, contractor and subcontractors to provide a coordinated health insurance plan for their employees. MOU contains provision, at insistence of TSA, that allows the TSA to terminate the agreement if stadium opponents in Mesa successfully refer the issue to a city-wide vote.
5/22/02	HB 2177 signed into law by the Governor. The bill was an emergency measure requiring the Authority to reach final agreements with a site host for the multipurpose facility by Sept. 12, 2002 or the question of whether to build the stadium would be resubmitted to the voters of Maricopa County at the November general election. The bill expands the entities allowed to provide the land, infrastructure and parking facilities associated with the multipurpose facility, to include tribal governments and state agencies (with the intent of assisting the site offerings of the GRIC and the Mashburn Companies). The bill also elevates youth and amateur sports funding and requires additional auditing and reporting of the authority.
5/23/02	TSA’s Youth & Amateur Sports Advisory Committee holds first meeting and prepares to issue facility assessment survey as well as revisions to grant application process.
5/29/02	17,564 signatures are turned in on two separate petition drives to the Mesa City Clerk to force a September 10 referendum on whether to allow the City of Mesa to fulfill their terms of the agreement.
6/03/02	Oral arguments before Arizona Court of Appeals on Long Lawsuit. Decision expected in 4 – 6 weeks.
6/05/02	Maricopa County certifies there are sufficient valid signatures to force the city-wide election on September 10.
6/20/02	TSA launches new website design.
6/25/02	TSA Board meets to review status of Mesa site negotiations; Board votes to extend MOU until September 10th Mesa election provided that amended MOU removes Mesa’s exclusivity and establishes clear and unequivocal right for TSA to terminate Agreement for any reason and at any time it is deemed best for the project in the Board’s sole discretion.
8/27/02	State Court of Appeals issues a unanimous ruling (3-0) upholding the constitutionality of the State Statute establishing the Tourism & Sports Authority. This affirmed the lower court’s ruling received in November of last year.
8/29/02	TSA Board of Directors voted 7-1 naming Glendale as the site for the new Multipurpose Facility. Located at the Loop 101 and Bethany Home Road , just south of the new Glendale Coyotes Arena.
9/03/02	TSA Board of Directors votes 8-0 to approve a memorandum of understanding which puts a “hard cap” on the cost of the Multipurpose Facility at $355.5 million and requires the Arizona Cardinals to contribute the $24.3 million difference from the original estimate of $331 million. The agreement also makes the Cardinals responsible for any project cost overruns that are not the responsibility of the stadium builder.
10/04/02	State Court of Appeals denies John Long’s Motion for Reconsideration.
10/17/02	John Long petitions the Arizona Supreme Court to review the Opinion of the Court of Appeals which was rendered 8/27/02.
11/01/02	TSA Files Response to John Longs Petition for Review to the State Supreme Court.
11/01/02	TSA Files Motion to Expedite Consideration of Petition for Review to the State Supreme Court.
11/05/02	State Supreme Court Grants TSA’s Motion to Expedite.
12/03/02	State Supreme Court Denies John Longs Petition for Review.
12/07/02	City of Surprise Grand Opening of "Billy Parker Field" new "winter home" of the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers.
12/12/02	TSA Board of Directors Approves intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with City of Avondale for $5.5 million Youth Sports Complex near intersection of I-10 freeway. Construction of 10-field complex to be completed by December 2003.
2/04/03	Authority Sells $222 Million of Multipurpose Facility Construction Bonds.
2/07/03	TSA Conducts First Annual Youth and Amateur Sports Summit for 150 community youth and recreational sports stakeholders.
2/11/03	TSA Board of Directors Votes to Approve Project Management Agreement with the Arizona Cardinals; Interim Agreement with Hunt, HOK and Eisenman.
2/11/03	Authority Sells $33 Million of Cactus League Bonds.
2/11/03	TSA Board of Directors Approves $4.3 Million towards $6.4 Million in Upgrades for Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Work to Commence in April 2003.
2/12/03	Close of Construction Bond Offering.
2/13/03	Pendergast Land Parcel at Glendale Site Annexed.
2/19/03	Close of Cactus League Bond Offering.
2/27/03	YMCA Receives $150K Youth Sports Grant Pursuant to Agreement. Construction of 2 1/2-acre Sports Fields to be Completed by June 2003.
2/28/03	Inaugural Game at Surprise Stadium Between the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers.
3/14/03	New stadium exterior design by Peter Eisenman unveiled to public.
3/25/03	Super Bowl Bid Committee Presentation to NFL Owners at the Biltmore.
3/26/03	TSA Presents $4.3 Million Commemorative Check to Phoenix Municipal Stadium During Oakland Athletics vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Game.
4/12/03	Groundbreaking for Multipurpose stadium in Glendale attended by 2,700 fans.
4/22/03	Youth Sports Town Hall meeting in Tempe.
4/23/03	Youth Sports Town Hall meeting in Phoenix.
4/24/03	Youth Sports Town Hall meeting in Peoria.
5/14/03	Approval of Schematic Design Package for Multipurpose Facility.
5/14/03	Approval of CFD Memorandum of Understanding with Glendale and Cardinals to have the Authority, rather than the CFD, construct the support infrastructure consistent with the terms of the Stadium Project Management Agreement. This agreement paves the way for all stadium related work to be managed by the Authority's design-builder, thereby lessening the risk of delays and cost overruns attributable to the presence of more than one general contractor on-site.
6/23/03	Approval of Parking Agreement Governing Multipurpose Facility Parking between Glendale, Cardinals and TSA.
6/23/03	Approval of Design Build Agreement between Hunt, Cardinals and TSA.
6/23/03	Approval of Construction Trust Agreement between Cardinals and TSA.
6/23/03	Approval of Authority FY 2004 Budget.
6/27/03	Groundbreaking for Avondale Regional Youth Sports Complex.
6/30/03	Board members Roc Arnett and Herman Orcutt are re-appointed to full 5-year terms ending in July 2008.
7/02/03	Cardinals close on land purchase of Rovey and Pendergast parcels.
7/30/03	Start of Mass Excavation for Multipurpose Facility in Glendale (foundation to begin in late August).
7/31/03	Governor appoints two new Board members Tom Hocking and Michele Eckert.
8/26/03	TSA Board of Directors approves the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Maricopa County Stadium District and the Authority.
9/04/03	First concrete poured for Multipurpose Stadium.
9/05/03	TSA issues Request for Proposals (RFP) for Management and Marketing of the Multipurpose Stadium.
9/19/03	Youth and Amateur Sports Grant Application deadline. 92 applications worth $35.2 million were received.
11/12/03	TSA hosts the Youth Sports and Healthy Communities Roundtable in Phoenix to bring together members of the youth sports, recreation, professional sports, foundations, health care and public health arenas for an update on the Authority’s Youth and Amateur Sports initiatives as well as to discuss ideas which could benefit local area children.
12/19/03	Board of Directors approved a resolution giving the green light for preliminary funding to a new Cactus League facility for the Anaheim Angels to be built in Goodyear.
12/19/03	Board of Directors voted to name John Benton as Chairman for 2004 and 2005.
2/6/04	Construction is complete on the $6.4 million upgrade of Phoenix Municipal Stadium, home to the Oakland Athletics.
2/23/04	Board of Directors formally accepts Youth and Amateur Sports Committee recommendations to award $1.32 million in grant money to 13 projects and programs.
3/30/04	Board of Directors selects Global Spectrum as the preferred private management company for the Cardinals Stadium.
5/7/04	Groundbreaking of the Phoenix Rotary 100 Field of Dreams project at the Arthur Hamilton Elementary School.
6/29/04	Board of Directors meets for 52nd time, approves FY2005 budget.
7/13/04	The Glendale City Council unanimously approves terms for amendments to the development agreement funding the infrastructure at the Cardinals Stadium.
7-21-04	Global Spectrum announces 21-year industry veteran Peter Sullivan as General Manager for Cardinals Stadium.
7-21-04	Governor Napolitano appoints three new board members; Jonathan M. Garrett (replacing Thomas Hocking), Larry D. Landry (replacing C.A. Howlett) and Verma M. Pastor (replacing Jim Grogan).
7-30-04	The Cardinals Stadium project celebrates the first anniversary of the start of construction. Hunt and the Cardinals host a barbeque lunch for 500 workers on the main concourse. The project is 1/3 complete.
8-16-04	Workers begin to assemble the northern half of the East Brunel truss on its temporary scaffolding.
10-7-04	Board Meeting #53 where board of directors approve the Memorandum of Agreement with Glendale and the resolution approving an alternate approach for financing the infrastructure for the site outside of the stadium dripline.
10-21-04	Global Spectrum announces the hiring of Eric Jones as Assistant General Manager for the stadium.
11-10-04	Board of Directors Meeting #54 where approval is unanimous for the $20 million renovation to Tempe Diablo Stadium. In return, the Angels agree to a 20-year lease extension.
11-11-04	Arizona Cardinals Stadium reaches the 45% completion milestone with the assembly of the retractable roof components on the northern half of the Brunel trusses.
1-19-05	Board of Directors Meeting #55. Approved two grants for the Mesa Family YMCA and the Glendale-Peoria YMCA after receiving the recommendation from the Youth and Amateur Sports Oversight Committee.
2-18-05	Start of incremental lift of center roof assembly with retractable panels. The 5,600-ton (11.2 million pounds) lift is the single heaviest roof lift in North America.
2-19-05	Roof lift operation continues with roof ascending to the 103-foot level.
2-21-05	Stadium roof lifted to its maximum elevation of 156 feet above the stadium floor at approximately 2:00 p.m. Local 75 Ironworker crews working for Schuff Steel Company, the steel fabricator and erector, completed installation of the transfer girders and final attachment of the roof to the concrete frame.
3-19-05	Scottsdale Giants Stadium celebrates 50th Anniversary of Spring Training.
3-22-05	Youth and Amateur Sports Grant Assistance Workshop held at the Arizona Community Foundation Office in Phoenix.
3-23-05	Youth and Amateur Sports Grant Assistance Workshop held at Avondale City Chambers.
3-24-05	Youth and Amateur Sports Grant Assistance Workshop held at Pyle Adult Recreation Center in Tempe.
3-25-05	Board of Directors meeting #56. Board approved $20 million funding toward Scottsdale Stadium renovation project and $75,000 per year for 3 years to support the newly created Maricopa Council on Youth Sports and Physical Activity (MCYSPA).
3-31-04	Groundbreaking of $2 million expansion of the Glendale/Peoria YMCA. AZSTA awarded a grant in 2004 for $150,000 towards construction of a gymnasium for the facility which is located near 59th Avenue and Greenway Road.
4-2-05	Dedication of new, $6 million Desert Mountain Park in Queen Creek. AZSTA contributed $250,000 to the multi-field project in this fast-growing area.
4-4-05	Global Spectrum announces hiring of Scott Norton as Director of Sales & Marketing for stadium.
4-5-05	The Glendale City Council gives the City Staff the go-ahead to finalize a development agreement with John Q. Hammons to build a privately financed, 320-room, four-diamond Marriott Renaissance Hotel and spa directly north of the stadium with a projected opening of Fall 2006.
4-6-05	Global Spectrum names Melissa Wasson, CPA, as Director of Finance & Administration for the stadium.
4-13-05	Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, Angels owner Arte Moreno and AZSTA Chairman John Benton head groundbreaking ceremonies for the $20 million in renovations to Tempe Diablo Stadium, Spring Training home to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
4-14-05	Ground broken for 40-acre community park on ASU's West campus. The $3 million project is funded by the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, the State Parks Heritage Fund and AZSTA.
4-26-05	Governor Janet Napolitano signs into law legislation which clears the way for the very first Intercollegiate National Championship Game to be held by the Fiesta Bowl in the new stadium Jan. 8, 2007.
5-20-05	Board of Directors meeting #57. Board unanimously approved Resolution 2005-59 providing for an increase from up to $45,000,000 to up to $53,050,000 in additional Senior Revenue Bonds for the Multipurpose Facility Project.