A downtown real-estate developer is suing Phoenix for withholding public records related to the renovation of Talking Stick Resort Arena, home of the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix has been exploring renovating the 26-year-old arena for more than a year. The City Council voted last year to pay a sports consultant $200,000 to study the idea and has met in executive-session meetings numerous times over the past year to discuss the state of negotiations with the Suns and the consultant.
Previously, the city also toyed with the idea of building a new shared arena for the Suns and Arizona Coyotes, although those discussions appeared to stall out over time.
Nearly all discussions about a new or renovated arena have taken place outside of the public sphere, which prompted developer Bramley Paulin to file a public-records request for more information, according to his attorney.
Paulin requested the following items: “All feasibility reports, concept reports or consultant studies prepared by or provided to the city by the Phoenix Suns or the Arizona Coyotes pertaining to the purchase, lease or renovations of the Talking Stick (Resort) Arena or any other sports facility, including any draft conceptual renovation information provided to the city by the Suns.” Read more…