Basha's Flees South Scottsdale

In yet another sign of south Scottsdale's decline, Basha's at McDowell Road and 74th Street closed this weekend. The anchor tennant in a crumbling strip mall, the departure of the store is a bad sign for the area and a challenge that the city must deal with before that area falls into blight. The store which has occupied the space for 44 years is going to leave a crater in the community. Time for business and political leaders to step up.

West Jet Aircarft Must Pay Whistleblower $94K

Scottsdale-based West Jet Aircraft must pay $94,000 in damages to a whistle-blower who called out the company on airplane safety issues. After the unnamed employee exposed shady practices at the West Jet, he was fired for complaining to the FAA. That is, of course, illegal, and the company probably realizes that now.

Scottsdale Car Auctions Go Head to Head

Two car auctioneers that hold large events in Scottsdale are battling it out for control of a site near 101 and Scottsdale road. Russo & Steel has been holding an annual auto auction on a parcel of land in that area for the past few years. R&S is an upstart competitor going after Barrett-Jackson customers. However, it appears that Russo & Steel did not have the proper permits from the state to hold their auction on the particular parcel of land they were using. Barrett-Jackson uncovered this discrepancy, applied for the proper permits and could take the land right out from under Russo & Steel, effectively wiping out the underdog's event. It's a tough world out there and R&S need to be perform due diligence when producing an event. They screwed up and unfortunately for Russo & Steel, their competitor found out about it before they did.

PETA Awards Scottsdale Business

Scottsdale dry cleaner Monte Carlo Cleaners recently received the Compassionate Business award from PETA. Business owner Mark Mayes states that he will not accept fur, wool or rabbit for dry cleaning. Anyone wishing to have non-animal items cleaned by Monte Carlo can get there by checking this map.

Scottsdale Tribune No More?

The East Valley Tribune puts out a local Scottsdale edition known as the the Scottsdale Tribune. Rumors are surfacing that the paper may be jettisoned from the Tribune mother ship in favor of sending the standard East Valley Tribune. to all subscribers The difference is minimal. The papers are nearly identical, with the Scottsdale edition offering only a few local stories to differentiate itself from the larger East Valley edition. Apparently, the Scottsdale version of the Tribune is getting killed by the Arizona Republic, which in turn is getting killed by lack of daily subscriptions and decreasing relevance in the community. Long live the Insider!

Jenna Jameson Supports Hillary Clinton

Scottsdale businesswoman, local activist and porn star Jenna Jameson is throwing her support behind Hillary Clinton for President. Jameson feels that a Clinton administration may not come down on Jenna and her friends as much as a Republican might. She's probably right about that, but I don't think Hillary will be touting this particular endorsement anytime soon.

Will Scottsdale Remain Hot? Of Course!

Scottsdale has experienced unprecedented, explosive growth over the past twenty years and has actually handled it very well. The city is a destination for a diverse group of visitors and locals who helped fuel the economic run of the last few decades. The pattern will continue. People will still flock to Scottsdale to live, work and play; housing prices will continue their long-term upward trajectory and business will grow and prosper. Life is good in Scottsdale, despite what some people may tell you.

Green Business Workshop Coming to Scottsdale

Interested in learning how to make your business more earth-friendly? How does a carbon-neutral statrup sound? Explore these ideas and learn how to green-up your venture at this innovative workshop. More info below courtesy of the city newsletter:

More and more businesses are discovering the advantages of reducing their impact on the environment. Don't get left behind. Greening your business can save you money by reducing your operating costs and earn you money by appealing to eco-conscious individuals. Not to mention the good feeling you will have knowing you are making responsible choices with your business. At this workshop you will learn about topics such as re-using/reducing your waste, improving your employee work environment, helping your supplier relationships operate more efficiently, making better office supply choices, and becoming carbon neutral, all while impressing your customers.

When: Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Workshop: $25.00
Register online at: http://www.akagreen.com/eventstore.php

Lighting Up Downtown Year Round

Downtown Scottsdale could be lit up with festive lights year round if a current proposal gets support. The year-round glow and romance of the lights which the City simply cannot resist actually comes pretty cheap and should result in enhanced ambiance and increased enjoyment of the downtown area. That's a good thing.

Video Tour of Cigar King in Scottsdale

Enjoy this video tour inside one of my favorite Scottsdale spots, Cigar King.

Union Protests Hit Scottsdale Construction Site

Union protesters were on hand at Doubletree and Scottsdale roads today to show their discontent with Adobe Drywall. Picketers referred to Adobe employees as "rats." They cited several compensation and benefits-related issues as the source of their gripes. Those objections were, of course, flatly denied by the business in question.

Scottsdale Land Auction Draws No Bids

An auction by the State Land Department for 125 prime acres in Scottsdale drew nary a bid on Tuesday morning. Opening bid was around 68 million dollars. Five bidders showed up for the auction but only 2 brought their checkbooks. They'll try again, with a lower minimum bid, next month.

$2 Million to Dispatch Scottsdale's Sewer Odor

The ongoing sewer odor problem at the Scottsdale Waterfront will cost the city $2 million or more to be fixed. Part of the cost is determining the precise nature of the problem because only then can a solution be designed and implemented. Meanwhile, tourists, residents and businesses are fuming over the rank smell along what is supposed to be one of Scottsdale's new, up-and-coming attractions.

Free Money for Downtown Marketing?

The Scottsdale City Council will consider subsidizing a marketing campaign for the downtown area. A similar program was funded last year along the Motor Mile, so downtown-area businesses are sure to at least receive some underwriting for their marketing efforts.

Need 125 Acres at Scottsdale Airpark?

If you're in the market for a 125-acre commercial property at the Scottsdale Airpark, Tuesday could be your lucky day. The State Land Department will hold an auction for a choice parcel that will likely provide many clues into the current real estate dynamic in the northeast Valley.

Scottsdale Waterfront Sewer Smell Continues

Sewer odor has been dogging the Waterfront project from day 1. Olfactory unpleasantness continues and no actual solution seems to be in sight. This is a local problem that could have been avoided had the proper planning been done by the city and the developers. The Waterfront is an awesome amenity for Scottsdale. Unfortunately, sewer stink continues to fouls people's experience there.

Scottsdale Area Resorts at the Top Again

Several Scottsdale-area resorts have landed themselves atop another list of "Best Of" hotels. The quality of local resorts is legendary and continues to be a point of pride for Scottsdale.

Park Place Wants to Replace Tequila Grill in Scottsdale

The wonderful property that served as the Tequila Grill could be re-opened as Park Place if the city approves. Park Place would be good for downtown and good for all of Scottsdale. The city should approve the conditional use permit.

Scottsdale Office Space Sells for $52 Million

The Gainey Center office space has sold for a whopping $52 million. An Iowa-based real estate investment group made the purchase. It doesn't seem like a bad deal considering the office space is 97% occupied.