SportsRacer21
Registered User
I can't see how building a shopping district and condos would be needed for a small rink and a gymnastics facility..
How about (as it states in the article you linked):
A legislature approved the district, which will serve as a way for the university to lease land to private developers to generate revenue in order to renovate Sun Devil Stadium and other athletic facilities without a tax increase.
Those renovations (according to the actual district's website) cost $256 million. Their website also states "A small arena is being planned adjacent to Wells Fargo Arena to house some of the Olympic sports with the possibility of including hockey. The feasibility of a new stand-alone hockey venue is also being evaluated but a decision regarding its status and location within or outside of the district has not been made."
So while they could have changed their mind in regards to the hockey venue it doesn't sound like it and $256 million renovations to the football stadium is no chump change. This tax district (to me) seems to be more about ASU having a funding source for the arms race that is big-time college athletics facilities.