Frequently Asked Questions
Who are we and what are our
objectives? Is there a demand for
higher education? Is there an economic
development focus to this university project? Where will the students
come from? Is there a market niche
for the proposed campus? Will there be a
marketing study? Where is the proposed campus
site? Why is “Section 24”
the best site? What happened to the Havasu Heights campus site? What is the process and
timeline for acquiring the land? Who will hold title to the land? Who are the “Partners” in
the campus project? What is the role of each of the “Partners”? How much will it cost to
master plan the campus? Who will pay for the master plan? What will the campus
include? How much will it cost
to develop the campus? Who will pay for building the campus and providing the
necessary infrastructure? Is there a plan for
campus financing? Are there other
fundraising options? What is the timeline for
building the campus---when will it open? What needs to be in place for NAU to
open the doors? What will be the
fundraising area? What are the population
demographics for the area? What is the economic
base for this area? What is significant
about the proposed mainland marina at Contact Point State Park, which is next to
the university site? What is funding
and budget for the proposed mainland marina at Contact Point State Park?
What is
significant about the proposed municipal golf course, which is next to the
university site? What other education
agencies are in this area? What are HFHE
needs in professional fundraising for campus construction?
The nearly 1,900 member Havasu Foundation for Higher
Education (HFHE) is an Arizona 501(c)3 non-profit public service corporation
formed in March 2004. Our primary mission and objective is to establish a
10,000-student comprehensive residential university campus in our community,
Lake Havasu City, Arizona (City).
The preferred university partner for
the Lake Havasu City project is Northern Arizona University (NAU).
http://home.nau.edu/ Considerable
information on this project, incorporation details, by-laws, news articles, land
plan, etc. can be found on our Foundation website
http://www.havasufoundation.com/
In late May 2004 the Arizona Board of Regents
(ABOR)
http://www.abor.asu.edu/ announced plans to restructure the
university system to meet the growing demands for higher education from the
expanding Arizona population. The Regents identified several issues that must be
ad-dressed in the public university system of the future. Among those issues
were;
Arizona’s projected population growth---more than 50% in the next 15 years.
An increasing demand for undergraduate degrees among both traditional and
non-traditional postsecondary populations.
An estimated increase in student enrollments in four-year institutions from
the current 115,000 to 170,000 students by 2020.
Benefits cited in the
ABOR proposal included;
More local control for regional universities in tailoring programs and
delivery modes.
Strengthened partnerships between regional universities and community
colleges. The NAU strategic plan calls for expanded “statewide delivery of
graduate and professional pro-grams that add to Arizona’s economic development
[and] address[. . .] critical workforce short-ages” (NAU, 2003 p.4). The NAU
plan identifies nursing and other health professions as critical programs.
Population and employment trend studies for Mohave County and Lake Havasu City
also show a need for more trained and degreed professionals in the health care
industry.
Current ABOR policy sets a standard of 1,500 FTE (full-time
student equivalent) within 3 years of establishing a branch campus. FTE
enrollment at NAU-Yuma in 2002 was 1,089 after 26 years of operation as a branch
campus. University of Arizona-South campus in Sierra Vista enrolled just under
800 students in undergraduate and graduate programs in 2003. The UA-South campus
has been in operation for more than a decade. The HFHE goal is to open with a
2,000-student campus and grow to a 10,000-student campus within 10 to 15 years.
A recently approved Marketing Study and an Economic and Fiscal Analysis study to
be initiated shortly will help validate or modify those enrollment goals
Definitely. We wish to improve economic
development opportunities for our community and its citizens through a
broad-based project. The expectations from such economic development include
large increases of tax revenues that can be used to improve the City’s
infrastructure and reduce the burden of the new $452 million sewer system on the
residents and taxpayers.
Our economic development plan is summarized in
a PowerPoint presentation http://www.havasufoundation.com/PowerPoint.htm
This
economic development focus is not to minimize the awareness the entire community
has of the desirable quality of life that comes with being a “university town.”
Without question, this awareness has led to a significant response of citizens,
and professional, civic, and fraternal organizations in support of HFHE’s
goals.
One challenge for the HFHE plan is the small but growing
population of Mohave County. We believe our town and county does not yet have
the population base to support a full campus of a university operation. But, for
that matter, neither does Flagstaff and all of Coconino County. Interestingly,
Lake Havasu City now has a larger and faster growing population than Flagstaff.
So, how can NAU make a go of it in Flagstaff? A campus
that now has a billion dollar-a-year impact on the Flagstaff and Coconino County
economy. The simple answer is non-resident students. NAU in Flagstaff draws 97%
of its students from all over Arizona and neighboring states. Fortunately,
Arizona is a part of a western states compact http://www.wiche.edu/ that allows students to attend colleges
in our region at affordable near in-state tuition rates for some programs.
Given Lake Havasu City’s traditional draw from the Southern California
area for tourists, home-buyers, and new business as well as being a major
destination for spring-breakers from all over our nation, our town is uniquely
positioned to draw on its historical economic and tourism market bases for
non-resident (adjoining states and Arizona at a distance) university students.
There’s no rocket science to this basic and simple strategy. It works for our
town. And, of course, the lake with its 450 miles of coastline is the big draw
as is the climate, clean air, low crime, good government, and friendly
residents. For all of Arizona, nearly 58% of overnight non-resident visitors
come from California. For Lake Havasu City, that proportion is much higher.
Each year, more than 2.5 million visitors come to the London Bridge
alone. Total numbers of visitors citywide are considerably higher. In
particular, our town is a popular Spring Break and summer weekend vacation
destination among the traditional college-age 18-24 year old groups. Tourism
statistics estimate 20,000 visitors, most from out of state, enjoy Lake Havasu
City’s re-creational amenities during the six-week Spring Break period from
March to mid-April. The number has been as high as 45,000 college-age visitors
in some years.
Lake Havasu City’s position as a college-age recreation
location will benefit the Arizona university system by bringing in dollars.
While Arizona residents pay $3,983 in tuition as fulltime students, the dollars
garnered from out-of-state tuition are $12,503 (AY 2004-05). In simple terms, if
we convert only 10% of our out of state Spring Break visitors to full-time
college students, we will generate a minimum of $25 million dollars in “new
money” annually for the Arizona university system. Assuming a conservative 2%
increase in out-of-state enrollment and a 1% increase in tuition each year, over
a 5-year period tuition revenue at NAU-Havasu from this segment alone would
approach $105 million.
NAU initially suggested consideration of 4-year allied
health medical technology programs as a possible market niche. Some compressed
into three years by adjusting traditional vacation periods.
In
our region, there are significant manpower shortages in many of these fields
coupled with shortages of graduates from accredited programs. Many of these
fields are above average in pay with excellent career opportunities. http://www.allalliedhealthschools.com/faqs/health-salaries.php
http://www.futurehealth.ucsf.edu/Allied%20Health/related.html
The Havasu Regional Medical Center (HRMC) http://www.havasuregional.com/ and the Havasu Surgery Center
are a part of the growing health care industry in Lake Havasu City. Our local
hospital is the City’s largest private employer with over 700 employees. In
Mohave County more than 6,000 workers are employed in the healthcare
professions.
Another area of compatibility is NAU’s nationally
recognized Hotel & Restaurant Management program and Lake Havasu’s thriving
tourist industry of several million visitors each year. The London Bridge Resort
and Shugrues restaurants are among the top five private employers in Lake Havasu
City. County-wide the number of hospitality industry employees is over 5,000.
Both Lake Havasu City and nearby Bullhead City residents (across the river from
Laughlin, NV) offer a ready-made market for the NAU’s hotel/restaurant
management program.
In a May 2004 presentation to the City’s Partnership
for Economic Development (PED) business analyst Bill Fruth identified
information services as a potential growth industry for Lake Havasu City. As Mr.
Fruth noted, and as the ABOR has also stated, attracting business in this
category depends on the availability of an educated workforce. However, today,
almost every industry depends on employees who are educated and trained in
critical thinking skills. A NAU resident regional branch campus in Lake Havasu
City will provide the education opportunities for citizens of Mohave County to
become the workforce of tomorrow.
On July 11, 2007, the Lake Havasu City Council approved
several items related to the proposed university, including a Marketing Study
(to be funded by NAU) to find out where potential students are and whether they
will come to a NAU campus on Lake Havasu with all the amenities illustrated on
Land Use Plan map:
Which geographic landscape would create the greatest student interest?
How much marketing funding would be needed to bring in the first wave of
students?
How much funding would be needed to sustain a reasonable growth?
Which curricular offerings are most appealing to the university's
demographic?
What is the university's demographic?
The agency funded by the City
to promote tourism, conventions, and events is the Convention & Visitors
Bureau (CVB). The website is http://www.golakehavasu.com/ CVB is assisting NAU with the
marketing study and has considerable information available by email. The local
Chamber of Commerce also has information about Lake Havasu City on its website
http://www.havasuchamber.com/
Our Foundation with the assistance of the City has
identified 320 acres adjacent to Contact Point State Park on the south-central
side of town just two miles from the London Bridge. This is BLM property in
Section 24 that became available for a Recreation & Public Purposes Act
(R&PP) lease in June 2007.
HFHE has played a key role in identifying
and helping secure this property.
(See land map on our website. See
also, the PowerPoint presentation on land.)
This land is valued at over
$128 million. The 100-acre portion being allocated to the university project is
valued at over $40 million. The City has approved funding and a partnership for
the required ecological and archeological studies. On August 17, 2007, the City
Council approved a portion of the BLM land acquisition process. The proposed
road and infrastructure overlay was presented to the City’s Planning Commission
on August 22, 2007. Considerable information is included on the HFHE website and
in the NEWS section. With the exception of staff time and the ecological study,
with HFHE paying the acquisition fees, the cost to NAU and the City will be zero
for this BLM property purchase.
This land is within a few yards of the
lake, beaches and new proposed marina at Contact Point State Park. The 320 acres
will include a municipal golf course and a multi-purpose facility for a
convention center, fine/performing arts center and sports complex. This land is
also adjacent to the private property of Ken and Jim Komick that includes a
proposed resort hotel and a town center. The value of the private development is
expected to pass $1 billion at build-out.
The Lake Havasu City Council
approved a series of four public hearings for “…a major amendment to the future
land use map of the City’s General Plan for the 320-acre property commonly
referred to as the four-year university site.” The hearings and formal action
will be completed by October 23, 2007.
All of these elements, taken
together, present a huge economic potential for our city and county. This campus
will be about two miles from London Bridge and near the physical center of town.
With awesome vistas, this parcel may be one of the most valuable and desirable
pieces of lakeside real estate in western Arizona.
Click here
to see a power point of the proposed campus site.
Click here
to see map of proposed campus site.
Why is “Section 24” the best site? What happened to
the Havasu Heights campus site?
When NAU President John Haeger
visited Lake Havasu City in March 2006, he toured the Havasu Heights property
originally selected by the Foundation. Dr. Haeger and a number of com-munity
leaders had reservations with this site. Such as the proximity to the lake and
the center of town. HFHE responded with a more intensive land search and within
two months, had identified the new BLM Section 24 property, within yard of the
lake and only two miles from the London Bridge.
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) after months of preparation published on August 3, 2001 a
notice nationwide in the Federal Register, to prepare a Draft Resource
Management Plan. This was a complete revision of the former Plan that covered
1.3 million acres of BLM land in the Lake Havasu Field Office district. Included
in that draft plan was BLM’s role in the management of Lake Havasu and the 320
acre site now known as the Section 24 university site.
Ten open houses
and numerous public hearings were held on the draft Plan. Approximately 1,000
comments were received. Apparently none related to the university site.
The 1,500-page final version of the draft Plan was made available for
public review and comment in September 2006. Notices were printed nationwide in
the Federal Register and numerous public hearings were held. Again, there were
apparently no comments related to the Section 24 university site.
The
final version of the BLM Resource Management Plan was approved in May 2007.
Thus, the Section 24 university land became available on June 1, 2007for
disposal under the Federal Recreation & Public Purposes Act (Revised August
1996) also commonly known as the R&PP Act.
The process was very much
like what the City is going through in the major amendments to the City’s
General Plan for this same property.
In short, once completed, this
university property will have been through an exceedingly rigorous 6-year
Federal review process and a comparable local-level review.
Both federal
and local processes lead to a designation of public land to be used for
recreational or public purposes by state and local governments and by qualified
nonprofit organizations, including schools.
The BLM has many such lease
arrangements with schools. For example, Mohave Community College leased and has
patented hundreds of acres from BLM in Bullhead City, Kingman and Lake Havasu
City.
The
key partner of HFHE in this project is Lake Havasu City and its government. The
university project has had the unanimous support of the current and two previous
city councils. The above Land Use Plan map upon recommendation of the City’s
“Partners” group has been approved by the City. The City has a drafted Request
for Proposals (RFP) for a key study of this project, the Economic and Fiscal
Analysis. Plot plans and architectural renderings for the campus and other
components are being developed, some of which are already available. The Mayor
is Honorable Mark Nexsen. Our primary contact person is City Manager Richard
Kaffenberger. Two Council members and the City Manager are on the HFHE board. A
city department head as staff liaison, attends most board meetings. (See Board
of Directors section on our Foundation website.)
Considerable
information on city government can be found on the website
http://www.lhcaz.gov/ The Mohave
County government website is
http://www.co.mohave.az.us/
The second key partner in
this effort is NAU. The President is Dr. John D. Haeger. Our primary contact
person is Vice President Dr. Frederick M. Hurst. NAU is committed to providing
the intellectual capital in faculty, staff, and administration for this
project.
NAU is also presently drafting a preliminary Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) for the basic agreement between NAU and Lake Havasu City for
this project. Our Foundation has completed a 24-page draft
Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) modeled after the Phoenix-ASU Downtown Campus
project, which includes building leases as a method of securing bonding for new
construction. Some of the background on this partnership can be found in the
news articles on our website.
The City’s “Partners” group includes:
Northern Arizona University, Mohave Community College, Lake Havasu Unified
School District, Partnership for Economic Development, Convention & Visitors
Bureau, private developers Ken and Jim Komick,
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, and our non-profit Havasu Foundation for Higher
Education. Ex official members include Arizona State Parks and the Bureau of
Land Management.
Each government entity, educational institution, and
organization has an important role to play in the project. For example, the City
can provide the infrastructure and be the central organizing agency for securing
financing. The City and Arizona State Parks are involved in the development of
the Contact Point Marina. State Parks has applied to ADOT for grants to develop
the roads and, with BLM, is addressing the preservation of our natural
environment.
Every project needs a leader. For the first three years,
that role had been held by our Foundation. The HFHE laid the groundwork and
brought the parties together to discuss the community’s needs and opportunities
for economic growth. Representatives from most of the partner groups have served
on the HFHE Board. Appropriately, the City has recently taken a strong
leadership role to assure that the project has expert staff support, resources
of the City, community backing, political strength, and can gain the visibility
this project needs at the state and national levels.
Several factors go into
estimating the cost of the master plan. One might look to similar projects in
our area such as SARA Park to get a rough idea of the work that goes into master
planning. Much of the master planning work can be done by staff.
Moreover, the partnership already includes individuals with the
expertise to do some of that work. First of all, NAU brings significant
intellectual capital to the project. The university’s business and geography
departments have worked with government and private developers around the state
on land use plans and ecological and archeological impact studies. Similarly,
the City, Arizona State Parks, and BLM have in-house expertise that they can
bring to the project. In addition, members of the Havasu Foundation such as the
Komicks have volunteered engineering and architectural assistance to master
planning the campus and the larger project.
Plans will certainly evolve as the partners continue
to work together. One factor in the planning is the amount of usable acreage.
Another is the overall goal of building an attractive multi-use campus that will
serve the needs of the community for generations to come. While the university
project is an economic enterprise, it also serves the public needs.
Each
Partner has a “wish list.” Likewise, the citizens of Lake Havasu City have ideas
of what they would like to see developed on the campus. In addition to
university classrooms and housing, the campus may include shared classrooms for
high school and community college students, environmental research labs,
conference center, and recreation facilities associated with the pro-posed
Contact Point Marina, the new golf course, and the multi-purpose convention,
fine/performing arts and sports center.
It is too early in the planning to estimate
the costs. The Partners’ first job will be to determine what can and will be
built on the site. We estimate that half of the 100 acres earmarked for the
university is “buildable,” but even that figure is open to interpretation. Of
course, not all aspects of the campus will be built at once. Moreover,
preservation of open space will be a major factor in campus design.
A
major source of university capital comes from private developers who build and
lease student housing and from industries that contribute to university research
facilities.
Arizona State Parks, the City and NAU have access to grant
monies from several sources that can help subsidize the master planning and
development of the marina, golf course and the multi-use campus. As with many
federal and state park facilities, the golf course will likely be done through a
private developer and a long-term lease.
Likewise, the HFHE and PED as
non-profit organizations can raise funds and apply for matching grants to
provide the building capital. The “Sierra Vista model,” mentioned frequently,
refers to the private fundraising activity that built the University of Arizona
South campus in Sierra Vista. The Sierra Vista Foundation raised the money to
construct the initial four buildings on that cam-pus.
The major vehicle for new building construction
financing will likely be based on a business plan with a tuition and fees
structure designed to recover all costs of campus operations and building
leases. This is primarily the result of a very low probability of state funding
during the initial years of campus construction and operation. The business plan
is being drafted with the expectation of no funding initially, for campus
development and operations from the legislature.
The building leases
with the bonding power of the City will likely be the basis of securing new
construction financing as was done by Phoenix and ASU for their Downtown Campus.
In addition, the City has a Community Investment Advisory Committee (CIAC) to
look at financing alternatives for the golf course, four-year university, and
the performing arts/convention center. Meetings are expected to begin Fall 2007.
Several members of the HFHE board were involved
nearly three years ago in a major fundraising effort for the City’s new business
park. A professional firm, Resource Development Group of Phoenix, was contracted
to assist in that effort which secured $1.8 million in pledges. Some
in-formation on that project can be found on the Partnership for Economic
Development (PED) website http://www.lakehavasu.org/ The sales of the business park lots
might generate as much as $20 million plus funds that must be used for
economic development within Lake Havasu City. Such funds have been informally
committed to university campus development.
Years ago, our community
raised about $2 million for a hospital expansion under difficult circumstances.
The hospital was owned by a private corporation, which created some obvious obstacles to giving. The population was less than half of what we have today
and the wealth over-all, considerably lower. We are a much more prosperous and
rapidly growing town these days.
The first step was to secure the land. This is being
done through a series of IGA’s among the City, NAU, and Arizona State Parks,
which are the primary governmental partners in the project. Some of the
agreements are already in place.
BLM approved their Resource Management
Plan in May 2007, which allowed the lease of this land for Recreation &
Public Purposes. Development of the land applications to BLM started June 2007.
The master planning process on a project of this size and complexity generally
takes a year and is underway. The City Council has already approved key actions.
Several news articles (see NEWS section on our Foundation website) document that
process.
Construction can begin on some parts of the overall project,
such as the marina and roads, as soon as the roads and infrastructure overlay
application is approved. That process was underway July 2007.
In
essence, NAU is already “open for business” in Lake Havasu City. Interactive
television classes and a few traditional classes are offered here on the MCC
campus. NAU’s first step in expanding may be to take more space at MCC or
elsewhere in town and gradually move classes to the new campus as buildings are
completed. ASU and Goodyear are pursuing 4-year colleges the way most towns go
after Costco. The Phoenix-ASU Downtown Campus provides a model for development
and building leases that enable bonding for construction and interim
construction financing.
The HFHE board includes a representative from the county
seat in Kingman. A representative may be added from Bullhead City, which is the
third key city in Mohave County. While the new university will have an
exceedingly positive impact on the entire county, communicating that potential
will likely be difficult. The Marketing Study and the Economic and Fiscal
Analysis study will be valuable documents to that effort. Therefore, a part of
the initial planning for the capital fundraising effort must be an assessment of
the attitude and support outside of Lake Havasu City and the time and effort
that would need to be given to fundraising throughout the county relative to
potential return.
The Partnership for Economic Development has
considerable information available on its website on area population
http://www.lakehavasu.org/
The Lake Havasu City population as of June 1, 2006 was 54,610 according to the
U.S. Census Bureau. Bullhead City was next at 39,930 and Kingman was 27,635. An
additional 72,095 live in unincorporated area.
The 2010 population
projection for Lake Havasu City is 62,613, which would be a 15.8% change from
2005. The City is expected to reach 96,000 by 2060. The PED website includes for
our town, a Demographics Summary, Population Report, Income Report, Household
Survey, Work-force Development section, etc. Additional information and Internet
links typical of that given to businesses seeking information on Lake Havasu
City, can be provided by email.
The growth potential for Lake Havasu
City proper is significant. For example, there are over 18,000 acres of Arizona
State Land Department property within and adjacent to the City, mostly on the
east and northern boundaries.
http://sco.az.gov/website/parcels/viewer.htm Private
developers may buy such land through a public auction process.
http://www.land.state.az.us/ One section was recently sold and
another is scheduled for auction. These two parcels total over 1,000 acres for
new residential construction. Moreover, considerable BLM land is available in
the area, some of which can be made available for private development.
A
county website http://www.mohavedevelopment.org/ has the most complete
population data for our area. Examples of highlights include:
Mohave ranked 45th in highest growth of 3,140 U.S. Counties in 2005.
Mohave County’s growth rate in 2006: 21.3%; 3rd among all Arizona Counties
100.2% population growth over the past 15 years measured from 1990 to 2005.
State of Arizona’s 2006 Growth Rate: 3.6%.
Arizona was the fastest growing state in America for 2006. It beat Nevada,
which has held the title for the past 19 years (measured from July 1, 2005
through June 30, 2006).
Ranked 41st in the top 100 Fastest Growing Counties in America.
Sources: Population Statistics Unit, Arizona Department of Economic
Security (602) 542-5984.
Lake Havasu City is known for tourism and new home construction
as the primary industries. However, in a report published by the PED in 2006,
the annual economic output of the local marine industry of Lake Havasu City
alone equaled $191 million. The annual payroll of the marine industry was
$29,646,808. With such performance, this growing industry can be expected to
have a positive impact on the City.
Other than the cyclical market of
new home construction, the City seldom experiences economic distress. Even in
years of declining home construction, sales tax revenues continue to grow from
other expanding elements of the area economy such as commercial construction.
Presently under construction is a major new outdoor mall known as “The
Shops at Lake Havasu.” Due to be completed Spring of 2008, the new mall is
projected to create 14,024 new jobs for our city. Adjoining the new shopping
mall will be an auto mall with lots for eleven dealers including Anderson Toyota
on 8 acres.
The eastern suburbs of Los Angeles are as close as 3 to 5
hours driving time to Lake Havasu City and are a major factor in the Lake Havasu
City economy. At times, as many as 2/3rds of the homebuyers are from
California.
The close proximity of the Las Vegas metropolitan area is
also impacts the Lake Havasu City economy. For example, while the City has no
scheduled commercial air service at present (funds have been budgeted to help
fill that void), the Las Vegas airport is only about 2.5 hours driving time to
and from Lake Havasu City. Thus, most travelers use ground transportation as it
is less costly, more reliable, less waiting time, faster overall, more
convenient, etc. Whether it is commuters to Vegas for air service or Nevada
boaters traveling to our town and lake, there is considerable movement of
people and economic activity between Lake Havasu City and Las Vegas.
This mainland marina project has been talked about and
advocated for over 30 years. The major issues have always been economic
development, traffic safety and boater safety.
Public safety concerns
from traffic congestion on H-95 and the roads to Windsor State Park and public
safety concerns from congestion of boaters north of the Island and around the
Windsor State Park Marina, are increasingly critical issues due to the growing
number of accidents, property damage, injuries, and deaths on land and on the
water.
At a City Council meeting September 26, 2006, Arizona State Parks
board president Bill Porter, a Kingman attorney, addressed the growing safety
issues from the congestion on streets and the highway to Windsor State Park and
the number of boats around the island and the park marina. He promised action on
the new marina by his board and emphasized his support for the City’s project
with the 320 acres.
Arizona State Parks acquired the Contact Point State
Park land from the federal government years ago, in part to secure land for a
mainland marina on the south side of town. This marina site was intended to
balance the activity and operations of the marina at Windsor State Park.
Note the area on the map of the current State Park and the 40 acre
subset on the west portion of the 320 acres referred to as the Section 24
university site. This 40-acre portion of the BLM land is earmarked for Arizona
State Parks to expand Contact Point State Park to accommodate parking and other
needs for the planned marina. It is therefore a part of this hearing process.
Fortunately, the City and State Parks have made progress in discussions
on roads and infrastructure. All of which would be crucial to the university
project. Funds will be requested fro ADOT for construction of roads for the
marina. Presently, the park is landlocked and without roads and infrastructure
through the BLM 320-acre section, no development is possible. ADOT also budged
$200,000 to design launch ramps for the new marina.
Lake Havasu City is
known for tourism and new home construction as the primary industries. However,
in a report published by the PED in 2006, the annual economic output of the
local marine industry of Lake Havasu City alone equaled $191 million. The annual
payroll of the marine industry was $29,646,808. Most of those jobs pay well
above the average in our town.
With such performance, this growing
industry can be expected to have a growing impact on the City. Likewise, we
think the new mainland marina will be a big boost for our town’s expanding
prosperous marine industry and all of the related business.
Since
Contact Point State Park and the private property of the Komicks adjoin the BLM
320 acres, acquisition of this BLM land by the City, NAU, and Arizona State
Parks will enable a better overall master plan, including infrastructure for all
of the components of the larger project. More importantly, the master planning
the entire site will allow all elements to move forward. The Partner’s intention
with a plan of this magnitude, constructed with all entities involved, was to
create a major new landmark for our city.
Being within a few yards of
beaches, a host of water sports, and a new marina, will be a major factor in
attracting students and their families to this awesome site.
City Council:
At a City Council meeting 9-26-06, Arizona State Parks Board chair Bill
Porter (a Kingman attorney) spoke on the Contact Point State Park proposed
marina. He said, “… he had been preaching for years on the dangerous situation
with the over-crowded launching facilities in Lake Havasu City.” “He said State
Parks has been aware that they have to develop Contact Point; it was a critical
key to the future of Lake Havasu City and its recreation.” He also commented
that there was no negative reaction to the proposed university and that it could
be extremely consistent with their kind of operations.
Fortunately, the
City and State Parks have made progress in discussions on roads and
infrastructure. All of which would be crucial to the university project.
Presently, the park is landlocked and without roads and infrastructure through
the BLM 320-acre section, no development is possible. According to recent news
reports, ADOT already has budgeted $200,000 to design launch ramps for the new
marina.
Legislative Joint Committee on Capital Review In a
7-12-07 letter by the legislative Joint Committee on Capital Review, committee
staff recommended favorable review of the portion of the Parks Board request on
$942,100 in improvements at Lake Havasu State Park. Staff also requested more
information on the $1,500,000 for planning the new proposed Contact Point
facility. The funds would be SLIF dollars (State Lake Improvement Fund).
It should be noted that Lake Havasu boaters are a major source of SLIF
income. The purposes of the Fund are detailed in A.R.S. §5-382.
The
Parks Board expects to use SLIF dollars in the future to fund part of the
construction estimated to total $19,380,000. The various projects include:
$2,200,000 for roads from ADOT (exceedingly important for the university
project).
1,500,000 for site prep.
$5,420,000 for a marina, fueling station, and boardwalk. A private
concession company would operate the marina, similar to the arrangement at
Kartchner Caverns.
$1,750,000 parking lot.
$1,000,000 beach area.
$2,500,000 day use area.
$2,500,000 potable and wastewater services.
$2,500,000 boat launch area.
The city is also an applicant for SLIF
money. According to a recent 8-16-07 news article,
“Previously, the
city received $400,000 in SLIF money to participate in the proposed new
main-land marina at Contact Point. The city asked for another $700,000 to
install buried infrastructure to a new state park facility, which also will
assist the effort to place a four-year university on land adjacent to the
park.”
Need: We are aware of two fatalities this summer 2007
within ¼ mile of the Windsor State Park boat ramp due in part, to congestion in
that area. One any busy weekend, anyone can readily see the light boating
traffic in the Contact Point area and on south as compared to the Island area
and north to the Windsor boat launch.
In testimony before the Joint
Committee, State Parks Board again cited the need to relieve congestion on the
lake and around existing boat launch ramps. The Board also cited a 2005 BLM
report that Lake Havasu had the highest utilization of any lake in Arizona.
Also, 75% of all boating activity was located within 33-53% of the lake.
On holidays, Windsor State Park typically closes the gates at 9:30 A.M.
On a typical summer weekend, the park closes the gates around 12 P.M. The
closings result in a loss of revenue to the Parks Board. Moreover, traffic backs
up to H-95 resulting in more accidents.
Not addressed in the State Parks
Board testimony before the Joint Committee was the potential large positive
impact of the proposed new Contact Point Marina on tourism and the economy of
Lake Havasu City.
Also not addressed was the potential positive impact
on the growing marine industry in Lake Havasu City.
In a report
published by the PED in 2006, the annual economic output of the local marine
industry of Lake Havasu City alone equaled $191 million. The annual payroll of
the marine industry was $29,646,808. Most of those jobs pay well above the
average in our town.
The close proximity of a major new and modern
marina and beaches on one side of the university property and a new championship
quality Emerald Canyon type municipal golf course on the other side, is a
college recruiter’s dream. Not to mention the Town Center and a resort hotel
with-in a sand wedge distance away. All within two miles of the London Bridge,
shopping and a variety of tourist activities unique to the Village and the
Channel.
Cities
that rely on tourism place great emphasis on readily available golf on public
courses. Municipal courses are an important part of the mix of those golfing
opportunities. For the past 25 years or more, a municipal golf course has been
discussed for Lake Havasu City. The major impediment has been affordable land
and location. The BLM Section 24, 320-acre parcel meets both criteria.
In a study published by the Morrison School of Agribusiness & Resource
Management, May 19, 2006, by Dr. Troy G. Schmity. For Arizona, the study found
the economic impact attributed to direct, indirect and induced by golf courses
was nearly $1.5 billion for the year reported. The additional
economic impact from additional tourism activities of golfers who visited
Arizona from out-of-state was nearly $2 billion. That’s a total impact of nearly
$3.5 billion per year. It is our hope that the projects planned the 320 acres
being considered in this hearing, will help bring some of that prosperity to our
town.
Golf courses also provide sponsoring cities an important source of
revenue. For example, the Salt Lake City system of municipal golf courses
creates enough income to fund much of that city’s parks department operation.
From a study, Measuring the Impact of Parks on Property Values by
Sara Nicholis, Ph.D., National Recreation and Parks, Assoc. “Golf courses
appear to have both the most consistent and most substantial positive impact on
surrounding property values of any open space type.” “…with findings of premiums
ranging from 5 to 25 percent, depending on proximity.” “Homes within 1,500 feet
of a 116-acre golf course, the average size of those analyzed in this study,
demonstrated a premium equal to nearly 10 percent of the value of such
properties.”
Being within a sand wedge distance of a championship
quality golf course, within yards of a town center (shopping area) and resort
hotel, and next to a state park with beaches, a host of water sports, and a new
marina, will be major factors in attracting students and their families to this
awesome site.
Mohave Community College (MCC) has campuses in the three
main cities of the county including LHC. The website is http://www.mohave.edu/ This
college is similar to the other community colleges within the Arizona system.
MCC is a member of the City’s Partners group for the university project.
Everywhere in the country, universities have always had a very positive impact
on neighboring community colleges. Over time, a productive and supportive
relationship can be expected to evolve.
The local K-12 school system has
officially endorsed and supported the university project. The website is http://www.havasu.k12.az.us/ The school superintendent and a
school board member are on the HFHE board.
Some of our members think HFHE might be
able to raise $8-10 million or more, depending on bequests and corporate
support, for the new university. But, the ability of our community to respond
at or beyond that level needs to be evaluated. For the PED’s Business Park
project, the firm contracted to assist with that fundraising effort, helped
determine our town’s ability to raise money for such a project. The Foundation
needs to do that for the university project.
Moreover, a strategy must
be developed based on best practices elsewhere, on identifying specific
elements of a university that draw significant donors such as the naming of
buildings.
Approaching businesses, groups, and individuals for pledges
and contributions will likely require different strategies
Organizing
and expanding our present Foundation membership of 1,750 to 2,500 or more to
help with fundraising must be addressed. Particularly, the staffing of a
follow-up effort on pledges over a period of years to get the highest possible
return on those pledges.
Modifying and improving our website to aid the
fundraising campaign must be considered in the RFP response.
Improving
and automating our email communications with members and potential donors must
be addressed.
Staffing required by a professional firm and the length of
an intensive campaign relative to fundraising potential and total dollars, must
be addressed.
We must determine how much marketing funding would need to
be allocated by HFHE from funds to be raised to bring in the first wave of
students. (Also being addressed by the NAU marketing study.) And, what role
might CVB play in this effort?
Sorting out what bonding can finance and
what the Foundation can finance needs to be done. In short, what is the best
role for HFHE in the partnership with the City and NAU?
Budget for
Fund Raising The professional fundraiser respondents must present an
appropriate fee for professional services and follow-up to a RFP for
consideration by HFHE. Moreover, an annual budget must be developed for HFHE
operations for staff to monitor and insure payment of pledges to a high level of
return. HFHE staffing and a budget for an on-going program of fund raising and
philanthropic giving must be developed.
Time Frame A
Request for Proposals (RFP) may be issued late 2007. We likely need a month to
prepare and distribute to 8 firms, a proper RFP. Possibly 2 months to evaluate
responses. Two months to interview 3 firms and make a selection, negotiate, and
finalize a contract. Possibly 3 months of preliminary assessments and
organization. Hopefully, within a year, we can be organized properly to
undertake a major fundraising campaign. A possible target date for a kick-off
campaign might be immediately following the 2008 general election.