Oro Valley residents denied voice in proposed El Conquistador purchase
Controversy has surrounded a push by Oro Valley Mayor Hiremath, Council Members Waters, Snider, and Hornat to raise the Town’s sales tax to purchase the El Conquistador Country Club to become the Town’s new community center.
According to Misti Nowak, Communications Administrator, the Town was first involved in the negotiations for the property at the time property owners MET Life were trying to sell it to Southwest Value Partners investment group.
That deal fell through and for months the public and members of the Town Council heard nothing.
Suddenly there was a rush to act when controversial developer Humberto Lopez and HSL Properties began negotiations with MET Life. Mayor Hiremath and Town Manager Caton shrouded the process in secrecy claiming that a confidentiality agreement prevented them from involving the public.
While the people’s wishes are unknown, what is known is that Hiremath, Waters, Snider, and Hornat received a combined total of $14,000 in campaign contributions this past election cycle from Lopez and his two associates.
Just this month, the City of Tucson was informed that despite turning over the management of their golf courses to a private entity, who has made considerable investments in the courses, use is down.