Imagine Greater Tucson 2010-11 Phase I Community Conversation and Survey Statements Related to Expanded tourism

1	A large part of our ecomony is tourism. Yet when I bring people here I am embarassed of the lack of landscaping, trash everywhere, and the grafetti! The I-10 is most people impression of Tucson- how bout landshaping the medians and making it look nice. Have you driven the I-10 around TEP?!
2	A thriving downtown is important for tourism, attracting big business and young talent, and creating a center for a sustainable community.
3	Acceptance of tourism as a major part of our economy
4	Although we have over one million population Tucson is still a cowboy town, open and welcome to tourists, new and old residents alike.
5	Attract tourists from other countries
6	Attractions that boost income through tourism while preserving the area should be encouraged. They bring great joy, education, research, etc.
7	Because we get a lot of tourists and we want them to tell others to return
8	Better tourism advertising - more real
9	Bottom line, tourism is Tucson's major business. Phoenix has all the industry. We should do more to improve our financial situation by creating the premier tourist destination of Arizona in Tucson.
10	Broadway, Speedway, 22nd, Oracle- some rapid transit going to major employment and entertainment/tourist centers (UA, Downtown, Ratheon, airport, malls). Think San Francisco, Washington D.C. area...
11	City is now just a working and tourist place. Very divided.
12	Clean air is crucial to our health and to attracting tourism dollars, and even to attracting businesses to relocating here.
13	Coming from a vibrant downtown (Indianapolis), I am saddened by the lack of planning and foresight in the governmental and business communities. We have one of the best locations for promoting tourism and conventions but the worst facilities. Look at Albuquerque for an example of a comparable sized city that has emphasized its strengths. I have asked many times: who are the business leaders in this community and how do they lead? There is no answer. Perhaps because Tucson has not be able to attract Tucson-based businesses.
14	Communities that have major universities embedded in them provide an attraction to scholars and thinkers as well as to youth. These two populations attract higher quality and more diversity in cultural events, restaurants, stores and a sense of vitality that is lacking in communities whose economies are largely based upon industry, tourism or retail malls.
15	Develop tourism in Tucson - promote our 'old West' heritage - encourage the film industry to return to Tucson.
16	Does anyone go to the Santa Cruz River 'Park'? It is so desolate. I rarely see walkers or bikers there. When we get big rains in the summer, people come out in droves to the river beds that have significant water in them. San Antonio made the River Walk with a canal system. Indianapolis recently did, too. We can get some of those intelligent, energetic, creative people to come up with a way to do that here with reclaimed water...tourists, restaurants, recreation and other activities that make money and provide quality of life follow water.
17	Encourages tourism, community participation, intellectual employers and employees, quality of education, standard of living
18	Every city that I visit has a vibrant, tourist friendly downtown that represents it's arts, food and culture. Tucson still needs work here.
19	For tourists, visitors, and employees working in the downtown area, there is nothing there to attract them. The majority of retail businesses are not in the downtown area.
20	I am an architect, but we need a sustainable economy based on tourism, solar, optics, and bioscience.
21	I believe finishing the Rio Nuevo Project will be a financial 'Win-Win' for the city of Tucson. Bringing more people to the Tucson area spending money for the cultural aspects of the city and potential investments to Tucson. The longer it takes to complete Rio Nuevo the more money Tucson is losing. The cities that have an area of their town for tourists and locals have strengthened their community.
22	I believe that it is critical that we value our unique, rare and rich history. Our history and the diverse cultures that exist are priceless assets that will continue to make Tucson/community/region a place on the map and draw tourism. The arts are becoming a viable draw to Tucson as well.
23	I feel that it employs a lot of people. It brings a sense of community and pride to Tucson and it is so important that locals have access to an insitution in order to get a quality education. It also brings tourism and out of towners to help boost the economy. All the sporting and theatre events the U of A provides is also so important and brings life to Tucson.
24	I find Tucson to be very diverse with an abundance of cultural assets. I believe the UA is possibly the most important asset of the whole region. I think the UA should and could toot it's own horn more and reach out to all citizens to participate in and with the UA. Beyond just sports. I like to old west and hispanic influence that has shaped this entire region. I think Tucson has the ability in the coming decades to mold itself into a more desirable and rich community. I'd like to see Tucson brand an image of itself as a outdoor, healthy, intellectual, culturally rich, environmentally sensitive region of America. I'd like to see Tucson build and expand on it's current reputation as a top tier cycling and endurance training center. Build on the wellness reputation that we have become and to pursue Juaquin Ruiz's vision of Tucson becoming a center for geo tourism. I'd like to see Tucson become the desired community within the sun belt for outdoor oriented, healthy lifestyle oriented people to want to live. We are not SoCal or Phoenix. We are different and we attract different people.
25	I like the bike lanes and smooth pavement for recreation and commuting. I love Mt Lemon and the foothills for a variety. The single track mt. biking and hiking trails are incredible. It is n incredible community to bike in. It has room to improve and seems to do so daily. I see a huge economic impact from the known of El tour down to the unseen bike tourists.
26	I like the fact that I have a feeling in this community that I am not just a 'number' and that I will never see anyone I know because of the size of the community. I work in the tourism industry and feel a sense of family with many of them and I see them outside of work too!!
27	I like the new areas around Club Congress and Maynards, I like to see areas like this continue to be encouraged. This adds to the quality of life, and the tourism.
28	I live just west of downtown in the area most affected by the planned revitalization. So far, there is a wall and a few up-scale homes that no-one in the neighborhood could ever afford to purchase. There are so many wonderful things that could be happening: downtown as an all pedestrian area with restaurants, theater, music, outlets for traditional native crafts, the Stewart Boot Company (or similar), good art galleries (like Etherton), and trams to connect to all of it plus the Tucson Museum of Art and surrounding historic sites. 'A' Mtn. could be cleaned up and made into a safe place for walking, biking, and site seeing from trams for tourists, families, others who congregate - but no cars and no alcohol or drugs. The land west of the river should not just be another housing development. We need walkways, horse trails, an interactive science center, movie theaters, coffee shop, a Trader Joe's or Sunflower, a pool, a gym, boutique hotel, amenities that appeal to the neighborhood and to tourists alike. I personally resent the increase in my property taxes that was meant to reflect the higher values that Rio Nueve was going to create. I don't want lower taxes, I want Rio Nuevo!!
29	I regret that there is little 'style' here, and so little emphasis on education from K-12 and beyond. We need leaders who will take action on making the downtown more vibrant and the city more attractive to tourists.
30	I think Tucson's rich artists' community is unfortunately under valued as a 'selling' point to bringing people here. We have great grass roots music, art, and theater communities here that we could exploit for making Tucson a very appealing place to spend time as a tourist. Sante Fe did it, why can't we?
31	I think that it crucial that Tucson does not build into our national parks and preserves Tucson's natural beauty. The weather is so great here that being outside is so appealing and it is so important that we have beautiful, clean, and fun parks/facilities to enjoy the outside. I also think that this attracts tourism.
32	Improve downtown, make it more attractive to tourists
33	Improve view for tourist entry corridors to the City
34	It is very sad to see the Sonoran Desert destroyed by development when in-filling opportunities and re-use of previously disturbed land is available. Tucson is spreading like Phoenix and we will lose our attraction to tourists and our own quality of life if we loose too much desert.
35	It marks the seasons, supports the tourism and wildlife I value, it is timeless and will outlast anything created by humans.
36	Its a city that a working person can afford to live it, while still being a good destination for tourists.
37	Jobs, security,thriving, we could spend our $ here other than elsewhere! Put water in the Santa Cruz river from Speedway to 22nd, where it would be constantly recycling, so we could have resturants along the river, hotels, lil cruise boat for tourist, sandy beaches for the family to sit on and eat.! Also an amusement park with roller coasters, like magic mountain
38	Less emphasis on tourism and 'growth', more emphasis on building better lives
39	Lots of outdoor activities, but maybe not enough that are organized or advertised to our tourists.
40	Make it an attractive gathering spot with activities for locals and tourists
41	Making downtown brighter and cleaner would bring more visitors and help tourism.
42	More mural art so we could have mural art tourism
43	Need more diverse industries; more knowledge based and high value industries; more sustainable industry as opposed to housing, mining, tourism, agriculture based on water.
44	Need to have facilities to attract tourism, trade shows and industry
45	Not just my personal involvement, but the economic advantages, the tourism, the community involvement, enjoyment, employment, romance.
46	Not secondary. we could attract more corporate HQ's (jobs) and even more tourism $'s
47	Our downtown is right on the highway--what an incredible waste of tourist accessibility to have nothing to pull them off that road a block or two to some great attractions.
48	Recreational opportunities, brings tourists, attractive to businesses
49	The Business and Chamber of Commerce need to stand up to the powers in the City and County and demand respect and mutual 'think tank' talks and ACTION on moving forward. Demand change in the State Legislature and Government to improve the State immage for small businesses, education, inovation, tourisim, and retiement. The commerce sector needs to stand up to the bullies and demand business friendly laws, regulations and incentives.
50	The corrider between Tucson and Phoenix on I-10 is very dangerous and unreliable. I think our region desperately needs high speed trains as an option. It would help our tourist economy as well as the many retired folks who would like an option to driving to Phoenix.
51	The only way to fix what's been broken is to bring money into the Old Pueblo. There is big money in tourism and entertainment.
52	The problem is unstabilizing and hurting our economy/tourism/safety
53	The tourism misconception that our area is not safe to visit
54	The tourist trade provides top level liesure activities, but Tucson does not have the negatives, such as severe traffic congestion, that a Phoenix has.
55	There appears to be a mixture of cultures in our town, above and beyond our Hispanic brothers and sisters. We see persons of color, various age groups and political bents, as well as 'snowbirds' and tourists.
56	To have a vibrant walking area for us residents and a tourist destination
57	Toxic industrial environments are physically, emotionally, and mentally detrimental to our well-being. Clean industry and tourism fund our community, and tourism encourages preservation of our heritage.
58	Tucson does not capitalize on the tourism that our region should have. The gem show, golfing, and rodeo during one month should not be all we have to offer. There is not really much entertainment in the Tucson area. Where's our big jobbing.com arena with sports bars, shopping, football, entertainment??? The investment value to people outside our community is minimized by our availability and tranportation limits.
59	Tucson has a specific culture that makes it far more inviting to tourists. That ambience and culture of history is what brings people to tucson.
60	Tucson is a rare opportunity where a beautiful setting, temperate climate and rich cultural heritage have converged in an era when cultural heritage tourism is known to be an economic driver. The lack of commitment and lack of resources given over to this opportunity is an appalling lack of vision.
61	Tucson is never going to be a corporate hub - so while we still need to work on attracting more business to our community, we need to come together as a community and promote the commodity that we do have - tourism. nature, culture, restaurants, history, resorts, weather
62	Tucson seems not to have a plan that would encourage conventions and tourists who would love to come to such a wonderful location.
63	Tucson used to thrive on having winter visitors, retirees, and tourists wanting to explore desert living. Violent crimes, such as those related to the border and deranged students, make residents fear for their own safety. Law enforcement should be free from budget cuts, so that Tucson could claim to be the safest city in the nation.
64	Variety of tourism activities for visitors
65	We badly need fast access, e.g., freeway where Grant Road is now, and perhaps a north/south express up Wilmot or Alvernon. Tucson is not Portland, it is a large , sprawling city now, but you can't move around it without much time and delay. A better infrastructure would facilitate business, tourism and cleaner air.
66	We have many unique prehistoric, historic, and cultural sites, and as such we need to be better stewards of the past. If we protect the places of our shared past, we can encourage heritage tourism and bring additional tourist dollars into the state.
67	We keep losing things that enrich the lives of Tucsonans, draw tourists, provide jobs & make money to other parts of the state and country(Spring Training, minor league baseball, conventions, music and athletic events). We need to move forward quickly and do something or we could lose the Gem Show & Match Play Golf. We are originally from Indiana. Indianapolis totally remade itself into the Amature Sports Capitol of the Country. Portland, Seattle, & San Antonio have done great things that keep residents living there and draw vacationers. Tucson needs to find an identity, promote it, build to it and make money from it.
68	We need more 'non-construction' jobs. I like to see more industry that is tourist related.
69	We need more public art, science, ect museums to continue the education that our children are getting & to gain more tourism dollars.
70	Weather and tourist attractions
71	Without the desert and the desert wildlife, the heart will be gone out of Tucson and there will be no reason to remain in a soul-less city. Residents and tourists alike come here for the beauty and the weather. They should not have to go to the Desert Museum to experience 'what Tucson used to be.' (Although, they should always go to the Desert Museum as it is unique and incredible.)
72	Working in this local economy has always been tough, and with the trends in climate, water, petroleum and food costs we must become very innovative to continue to work and live here. We must work to invest in ourselves, keep our investments in Tucson, and be wise about who we invite to invest in us from the outside. Mining is the wrong long-term model; cultural tourism and center for innovation is right.
73	Years of strategic plans continue to fall away and are never executed. We need a committed plan to preserve, enhance and engage multiple entities. We need more public/private partnership agreements that will create a more dynamic downtown and cultural presence for business growth, retail development and tourism.