PHOENIX — Opponents of a bill in the Arizona Senate say it would allow the creation of theme park districts without local input.
HB2274 was originally supposed to be a bill about giving first responders access to treatment for PTSD. The bill passed the House in that form and was sent to the Senate.
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In the Senate, a strike everything amendment was introduced that changed the bill completely.
With the amendment, the text of an existing bill can be deleted and new language substituted.
The newly added provisions deal with "theme park districts", and change state law to say that if a city does not participate in the formation of a theme park district, it doesn't get to have a representative on the district's governing board, even if the district is within the city.
Critics of the bill say the changes are squarely aimed at making it easier for Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo to build a new stadium, and be paid back for the expense.
“The coyotes, don't want to pay taxes," State Senator Juan Mendez (D-8) said at a press conference Tuesday morning. "They just want to keep themselves making profit."
Meruelo owns what's left of the Arizona Coyotes. The team was sold and moved to Salt Lake City, but Meruelo kept the name, the logos and rights to a future NHL team in Phoenix.
The league gave him five years to build an arena in order to get another team.
Meruelo has said he wants to build the arena and an entertainment district without taxpayer funding.
But he's also said he wants Phoenix to help him with a theme park district that would set up a 9% sales tax to help recoup the cost of construction.
"My impression is that not every major metropolitan area is having these same kind of fights," Mendez said, "or has to resort to giving away or foregoing taxes in order to incentivize people to come here."
Meruelo still needs to win a land auction this summer in order to own the land near Scottsdale Rd and the 101 where he plans to build an arena.
A spokesman for Meruelo did not want to comment to 12News.
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