12.1.25 MEETING MINUTES APPROVED.PDF

Minutes of the Revitalization of Tempe Town Lake  
Council Subcommittee meeting held on December 1, 2025 3 p.m., Hybrid Meeting- Tempe 
City Hall, 31 E. 5th St. and virtually through Microsoft Teams. 
 
Members Present: 
 
 
 
 
 
Councilmember Nikki Amberg – Chair 
Councilmember Jennifer Adams  
Councilmember Berdetta Hodge 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
City Staff Present: 
Melissa Westbrook, Council Assistant 
Tanya Chavez, Mayor and Council Relations Director 
Vanessa Lopez, Council Assistant  
Craig Hayton, Community Services Director 
Julie Heitter, Administrative Manager – Community Services 
Shawn Wagner, Deputy Community Services Director – Recreation  
Darrell Duty, Interim Fire Chief 
Eric Anderson, City Attorney 
Keaton Hill, Council Assistant 
Shauna Warner, Neighborhood Services Director 
Mary Mezey, Deputy Director – Community Health & Human Services 
Eric Iwerson, Director of Transportation and Sustainability 
Alex Jovanovic, Deputy Parks & Recreation Director – Park Services 
Savannah Driskill, Public Info Officer 
Kris Baxter, Communications & Marketing Director 
Lisette Camacho, Deputy City Manager 
Alicia Jerger, Recreation Coordinator 
Anthony Butch, Assistant Fire Chief 
Eric Anderson, City Attorney 
Keith Burke, Deputy City Manager 
Rosa Inchausti, City Manager 
Mark Weber, Deputy Public Works Director – Engineering  
Mariana Pena, Mayoral Assistant 
 
Minutes 
Revitalization of Tempe Town Lake  
Council Subcommittee 
December 1, 2025

Stakeholders: 
Phil Amorosi 
Lori Foster 
Kim Gaffney-Loza 
Robert Mayer 
Michael Martin 
George Sheller 
Cecilia Riviere 
Maggie Soffel 
Bob Naylor 
Kaci Fankhauser 
Paul Kent 
Lauren De Young 
Roger Pawley 
Anthony P. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Agenda Item 1 – Public Appearances 
No public appearances. 
 
Agenda Item 2 – Approval of the September 5, 2025 Meeting Minutes 
Councilmember Amberg called for a motion to approve the September 5, 2025 Revitalization of 
Tempe Town Lake Council Subcommittee Meeting Minutes. Councilmember Hodge made the 
motion to approve and Councilmember Adams seconded the motion. The vote to approve was 
unanimous, 
 
Agenda Item 3 – Update on RFP and RFQ 
Craig Hayton, Director of Community Services, delivered an update on the Request for Proposal 
(RFDP) and Request for Qualifications (RFQ). 
 
RFP: The City is seeking a public-private partnership to develop a project that is distinctive to 
Tempe and consistent with the Rio Salado Master Plan. Six proposals have been received. 
After completing interviews, the team will bring a recommended proposal to the City Council for 
approval, tentatively on January 8. The project area includes three activity zones on the north 
side, totaling approximately 20 acres. 
 
RFQ: The City will select and contract with a single firm to design and develop both passive and 
active recreation spaces. Five proposals were submitted by firms representing local, national, 
and international expertise. Staff aims to present a recommended firm to the Council in January. 
This process is being coordinated closely with Shauna Warner, Neighborhood Services 
Director. 
 
Staff is currently preparing to present the Holly Street and Dig proposal as part of this effort. 
 
Agenda Item 4 – Update on Arizona Cycle Boats 
Craig Hayton, Director of Community Services, shared an update on behalf of Arizona Cycle 
Boats, now officially operating under the name Tempe Boat Cruisin’. The contract has been 
approved by the City Council, and the company is currently in the process of securing its liquor

license and arranging delivery of its vessels. A launch celebration is anticipated toward the end 
of January, with operations beginning with a fleet of three boats. 
 
Questions were raised about potential impacts on the water taxi service during ASU games. 
While this will be a topic for discussion in the coming year, there may be opportunities for 
coordinated activities such as tailgating. Food and beverage services are planned, though 
specific details are still being finalized. 
 
The Arizona Yacht Club has expressed concerns regarding safety and potential congestion on 
the lake, and these considerations will be factored into planning and operations moving forward. 
 
Agenda Item 5 – Special Events at Tempe Town Lake/Rio Salado Parks 
Shawn Wagner, Deputy Community Services Director, delivered the presentation and 
highlighted Performance Measure 3.19 – Value of Special Events, which currently stands at 
71.1%. He emphasized the City’s commitment to providing unique, Tempe-specific events that 
create memorable experiences while strengthening the local economy. Tempe hosts more than 
600 events each year, drawing over one million attendees, supported by an extensive network 
of staff, partners, promoters, and charitable organizations. 
 
Event types include: 
 
Athletic: 50.0% 
Community: 10.0% 
Cultural: 13.3% 
Festivals: 23.3% 
Memorials: 3.3% 
 
Event locations are primarily Tempe Beach Park (73.3%), with the remaining 26.7% spread 
across other Rio Salado park areas. 
 
To maximize the cultural, community, and economic benefits of special events within the Rio 
Salado Parks, staff have identified three key strategies: 
 
-Enhance the event portfolio and cultural programming 
-Expand and diversify event locations 
-Implement data-driven event management 
 
These strategies are supported by a comprehensive approach: 
 
Strategic Alignment: ensuring decisions are guided by clear policy direction and shared 
understanding 
 
Resources: investing in staffing and financial capacity to attract and sustain high-quality events 
 
Infrastructure: maintaining and improving public spaces to ensure they are event-ready 
 
Underlying these efforts are core principles: consistent alignment with policy, strong staff 
support, and appropriate infrastructure. All are essential to creating a cohesive, high-quality 
event experience and shaping the next steps for development.

Staff is exploring opportunities to design events that better match the available spaces. This 
may include reimagining existing events to activate both the south and north banks of the lake 
or hosting complementary programming across the two sides. Adjustments in scale may be 
necessary to achieve the best fit. 
 
Outreach will also be amplified with future events. Annexing the county island came up and 
Councilmember Adams provided a brief update. Of the county island area, 60 acres remain to 
be annexed, with 17 acres already incorporated.  
 
Additional ideas under consideration include a proposed cross-lake bridge, a lake-wide cycling 
event, and an all-ages environmental and sustainability fair. The City has received a grant for 
this initiative, which will be integrated into the next budget cycle. Staff are also coordinating with 
the Rio Salado Foundation regarding the future boathouse and related subcommittee work. 
 
A question was raised about the possibility of creating dedicated space specifically for festivals. 
Shawn explained that current event fees are structured to support essential public safety 
services and ensure dedicated staff are available should any incident occur. As a city, our goal 
is to cultivate and support the growth of events in Tempe, while also ensuring that adequate 
parking and other key infrastructure needs are met. 
 
Agenda Item 6 – Update on Rio Reimagined 
Craig Hayton, Director of Community Services, provided an update on behalf of Rio 
Reimagined. He noted that Phase One of the three-phase initiative is nearing completion. 
Because the project spans multiple jurisdictions, a wide range of partners are involved, and the 
team continues to work closely with a consultant to guide the process. Additional details will be 
shared at the upcoming public, virtual meeting on December 9. 
 
The committee includes representatives from all participating jurisdictions, requiring a 
collaborative approach that supports each community’s needs. 
 
Craig also highlighted the GPL Plan, which outlines the creation of a new 501(c)(3) organization 
designed to support Rio Reimagined. Board membership is currently in the prospective stage. 
He emphasized that Tempe is well-positioned, having already made significant progress toward 
the project’s long-term goals. 
 
Agenda Item 7 – Future Agenda Items 
Future agenda items discussed include opportunities to examine County Island annexation and 
how that supports the activization for revitalization of Tempe Town Lake, 
 
Meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m. 
 
Prepared by:   Melissa Westbrook, Council Assistant, (480) 350-8635 
Reviewed by:  Tanya Chavez, Mayor and Council Relations Director, (480) 858-2215