ASU Campus in Payson - Business Buzz Notes

Arizona State University's Vice President of Development, Richard Stanley, was a featured speaker at today's Rim Country Chamber of Commerce Business Buzz meeting. I was fortunate enough to get to sit at his table so I made some other observations as well. These are just my opinions and certainly others, including my boss, will have taken some different things out of the meeting.

1. This is either going to get done in the next year or two or it won't: This isn't going to be some protracted process. The fact is that the low municipal bond rates are definitely a positive factor - the further out you go, the less likely you are to have that, which could blow up the whole process. Therefore, I don't think this is a five year out thing. According to Stanley, they can open the campus one year from the final announcement. Based on that, I think if it's going to happen, it'll happen in 2013, possibly with a May opening.

2. Stanley's not a great public speaker, but is very smart: I didn't think he came across as well in front of the room. He just didn't seem as comfortable. But at the table, you could clearly tell that he knew his stuff. No doubt. 

3. Nobody likes the state legislature: There's an old joke that I'll bend for this. A class of second graders is going around the room telling what their fathers do. They come to little Tommy and he says: "my Dad's a male gigolo. The teacher looks disapprovingly at Tommy and says, "come on now, we know that's not true. Tell the truth." Tommy says, "okay, he's a state legislator." The classroom bullies immediately give him a glare of "we're going to kick your butt later, and every day for the rest of the year." The fact is that no one wants the state legislature to have any hand in their business. Unfortunately, ASU is a public institution. While they are looking to deliver classes at a 1/3 to 1/2 the cost, there still is an element of state funding for each student in this state - that will be factored in as part of the viability of things here. The other kicker - after ASU did the Phoenix campus, the state legislature changed the law so that now they have to approve any new campuses. That's why you'll often see ASU refer to Payson as an extension of existing "programs."

4. This is very unique. This came up early on in the presentation and was explained by Payson Mayor Kenny Evans. This is pretty much a one of a kind project. There are a little bit of similarities with what ASU did in Phoenix, and ASU is also looking at the possibility of campus in Lake Havasu. But this is a new model, especially with the private aspect.

5. When you see Havasu & ASU mentioned, don't worry. Stanley was emphatic that it's not an either or proposition when it comes to Havasu and Payson. They are pursuing multiple locations.

6. The structure is complex. This has been put together in a way where the municipal entity, the Town of Payson, will not be on the hook for anything. The campus will be its own entity, with a private development segment. (A large Chinese company has already preliminarily agreed to come here.) A lot of lawyers got consulted with in the process, but it's been put together in a manner to do this. 

7. Manufacturers are more interested in coming here. The town has been in contact with at least 5 companies interested in coming here because of the possible campus. 

8. Stanley understands that summer may be where it is at. He stated that they think this campus may be busiest in summer, with an influx of summer school students from ASU. That statement to me shows that they are on top of things. I really see that happening and was glad to see him projecting that.

9. Payson is lucky to have Kenny Evans as Mayor. The complexity of this thing could be overwhelming to a lesser person, but Kenny is right on top of things and leading the charge. Also, it has to be remembered that this wouldn't be on the table right now if not for Payson getting Blue Ridge water, a partially completed project that will be finished in the near future. When Evans took over as Mayor, Payson was still in water wars with Star Valley. He solved all of that. 

10. Business is excited. It was a packed, overflowing crowd for this meeting. An ASU campus here clearly would be a game changer and the business committee knows it. Folks here want this to happen and are very supportive of the efforts.

11. Forest Service has to make things happen. One key component yet is the forest service land that would be obtained. Unfortunately, there are a ton of procedures that have to be followed in that case. The Environmental Asessment (EA) is being worked on as we speak, but it's still an obstacle for all of this to occur.

One thought to the negative that I can't help but consider...will this become Payson's 21st century railroad? If you go back to the latter part of the 19th century and early part of the 20th century, this country was all abuzz at various times because of a potential railroad. It never happened, with the area not being connected by a main line road until the Beeline Highway was paved from Phoenix to Payson in 1958. If this deal is not able to be completed, this clearly would become the modern equivalent. That "oh what could have been" moment. 

I'm optimistic that this will happen, but by the same token still somewhat on pins and needles about it. Like the rest of the business community, I'm all for it. And as a 30 year old in Rim Country, I can see it making an incredible difference here.

Thoughts on Ron Santo's passing

Thursday night was a great night for me as a sports fan - it was very exciting watching the Sun Devils beat the Wildcats in football and those who watched know what a thrilling game it was. But like all Cub fans, I was quickly brought down to earth on Friday morning with the news of the passing of Ron Santo.

I've gotten used to going to funerals. I've been to at least 3 this year. It's the kind of thing you do out of respect as an area historian. And when I walk through Payson Pioneer Cemetery, which I've been doing lately taking pictures of all the tombstones, I see a lot of historic names that I recognize - some I talked to, some who passed before I got the chance. So it's not an unusual thing, but Santo's passing definitely struck me.

I did not personally know Ron Santo, though I did get his autograph once. But like most Cub fans, I sure as heck felt like I knew him. You couldn't help but listen to him and Pat Hughes call Cub games and not form a connection with the guy. To many non-Cub fans he's best known as the guy who yelled "oh no!" when outfielder Brant Brown dropped a fly ball in a key game late in the '98 season in Milwaukee. And yet while things just like that are why Cub fans loved him. He was genuine, a former player, a great one at that, who was every bit if not crazier a Cub fan than all of us.

I've listened to Cubs games on the internet for years. It's been extremely relaxing for me and I can get a lot of work done while listening. I'd always smile a lot while listening, no matter the score. You couldn't help but smile listening to Ron and Pat. It was just fun, and so much of that was Ron Santo.

When you look at the bigger picture on this man, he was amazing. Here was a guy who was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 18 years old, in a day and age when diabetes wasn't as common a thing. It was treated the same way then as it is now and he kept it to himself for years. There are some great stories about Santo's battle during his playing diabetes, but even more impressive was how he handled it in his later years. He had parts of both his legs amputated, and yet was a fixture at the ballpark in Spring Training. When I got his autograph it was at Phoenix Muni, he had been on crutches in the tunnel along the third base side before the game, talking up players, and of course signing for everyone who asked. You'd see a line snaking down the aisles when he was in the press box at the ballpark, and after a while they had to cut it off for Ronnie's sake so he could save some energy to do the game.

Santo was heartbroken when did not get into the Hall of Fame a few years ago and his son's documentary, This Old Cub, provides a powerful view of that and Santo's life. Cub fans I think were equally heartbroken - they held off on printing Cubs media guides that year until after the announcement - folks just thought that surely he and Ryno would make and it would be a heckuva Cub celebration at Cooperstown that year.

So that's my taken on Santo, and I'll be watching his funeral come Friday on WGN. That's must see TV in my book and I'm sure I'll make an extra effort to catch all of opening day at Wrigley this year. I remember how powerful it was in '98 after Harry had died and how moving it was when they retired Ron's jersey a few years ago. I'm sure it'll be the same come April.