Convention and arts centers are costly and lose lots of money, but cities still build and advocate for them.
Jen Fifield reports that cities across Arizona own event spaces that are expensive to build and manage and end up losing money. Mesa, Glendale, Phoenix, Tempe, and Scottsdale have public facilities whose bottom lines that have resulted in huge annual losses — from hundreds of thousands of dollars into the millions.
Cities make up the deficits through taxes and other funding. Some have turned over management to private companies or nonprofit organizations.
Arizona cities are willing to take a hit on these spaces because of what are seen as the larger benefits, says Fifield:
City officials across the Valley say looking simply at direct revenue the spaces bring in doesn't show the whole picture. The venues attract people to the city, who then spend money on food, travel and hotels. That outside revenue, city officials say, brings in more than enough to make up for the cost.
This phenomenon is not particular to Arizona. Cities across the country have ramped up construction of convention space, even when the cost is substantial and the demand is not apparent.
“[Heywood] Sanders has argued in academic papers and a book he wrote called ‘Convention Center Follies’ that although government officials always claim ancillary benefits from building, expanding and operating the spaces, they are expensive and rarely fulfill their promises,” says Fifield.
FULL STORY: Phoenix-area cities want to offer space for events, but they're all losing money doing it

Opinion: Aging Population, Declining Fertility Requires Long-Term Investments
Faced with the dire consequences of a one-two punch of aging populations and declining birthrates, one writer has suggestions for how policy can help ensure a better future.

The Surprising Oil Tax in the Inflation Reduction Act
President Biden has made reducing gas prices paramount in his administration, so it was likely a surprise to hear a Republican senator last Sunday warn TV viewers that a revived and increased oil fee in the climate bill will increase their gas costs.

The Tide Has Turned Against Open Streets
Once a promising development for advocates pushing for a less car-centric future in cities, the open streets movement has ceded significant ground to cars since the height of the pandemic.

Opinion: Los Angeles Transportation Plan Will Increase Driving
L.A. Metro’s plan to add hundreds of miles of new traffic lanes is projected to increase carbon emissions by 10 million metric tons.

How Extreme Weather Threatens Transit Systems
As weather events become more intense and unpredictable, transit agencies must take steps to protect their aging infrastructure from flooding, storms, and extreme heat.

Federal Rule Would Require Regional Emissions Reduction Targets
A rule shelved during the Trump administration would require states and metropolitan areas to set targets for reducing tailpipe emissions, but advocates say it doesn’t go far enough to mandate results.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Cohousing Association of the US
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Crystal River
Sun City Center Community Association, Inc
City of Mesa
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.