The Rio Nuevo Board signed off on a 350-spot parking garage east of the Tucson Convention Center.
The multipurpose taxing district will solicit bids for the construction of the parking garage, but has already set aside $292,000 to design the multi-story garage which will be located near South Church Avenue and West Cushing Street
Construction of the garage could begin as early as 2020.
It is unclear what impact the announcement will have on the planned $20 million, 170-bed hotel next to the TCC that has been announced last year by Rio Nuevo and the company selected to build the hotel, Scottsdale-based Caliber Companies.
Rio Nuevo still lists the project on its website, but lists the completion date for the hotel as to be determined.
“We’re at a position where in order to really launch the hotel, we have to seriously consider committing to the garage,” said Board Chair Fletcher McCusker.
McCusker did not return calls for clarification on the hotel timeline Monday morning.
