Mayor Phil Gordon Blames Media Coverage of Corporate Conferences for Loss of City Revenue

By James King Tue., Sep. 22 2009 at 4:54 PM

Categories: News

Mayor Phil Gordon

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon blamed the media today for doing our job and reporting on governmental and corporate waste and stupidity.

What do we have to say about that here at New Times? Guilty as charged.

Gordon says the way the media covered corporate and governmental "training seminars" held here in the Valley prevented other organizations from holding similar retreats in Phoenix.

He must be referring to the Social Security Administration's luxurious retreat at the posh Arizona BIltmore. Or how about the Arizona teacher's expensive getaway at the lavish Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson?

If the media prevented another one of those debacles, job well done.

"Because of that adverse publicity, the business canceled the meeting at our resort at $99 a night and was paying over $200 a night in [Washington] D.C. because of this perverted focus on not having the facts out," Gordon tells 92.3 FM (KTAR).

As was pointed out in previous posts, $99 a night to stay at a four-star resort is a fabulous bargain.

However, these are supposed to be training seminars, not publicly funded vacations, and if the purpose of the seminar is to train employees paid with taxpayer dollars, the Days Inn on Thomas Road and the Black Canyon Freeway is currently offering rooms for 39 bucks.

There's even a free continental breakfast! Talk about pampering.

Tags:

arizona, arizona biltmore, days inn, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, mayor phil gordon, phoenix, retreats, social security administration, teachers, training seminars, tucson

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Phil Gordon is right: these organizations are still going to have their meetings - they're just not going to be having them HERE, thanks to bozos like the New Times. As usual, you and your staff of haters just stirrin' the pot.
I think Gordon is right on this account. If people from the federal govt are having an SSA meeting in Phoenix why scare them away so they can spend twice the money in DC. Gordon is not setting policy on the Feds waste, he just wants the money spent in Phoenix. Nothing wrong with that. Frankly with so many neighboring cities in the Valley that compete with each other I am surprised there is not more of a sense of urgency by the general public to buy into shop our city philosophies. People should be more concerned and efficacious about spending and keeping tax dollars in their own city. Its more money a home city gets for faciltiies and services as opposed to a rival city.
getting bagged on is the price gordon pays for raising the bar for the office of mayor. mayors before him accomplished everything through voter approved tax increases and had a robust economy. gordon is taking an approach to leave no stone unturned in a bad economy. he may not always be right but he approached all options to get the economy in phoenix moving. id rather have a guy like him as mayor as opposed to someone who just threw their hands up and said "times are bad, what do you want me to do"?
Stoller and Associates says: Fuck off you piece of shit.
No, how about putting the blame where it belongs, on you worthless politcians.
"Bait..." you state, "Where do they take them? To arpaio's 4th street jail matrix the world never sees." Actually at least SEVEN formal or informal Associates have been illegally jailed at Gordon's direction on malicious, "trumped up," and trivial charges. Two of them known to this writer spent MONTHS locked up on the bogus charges. Gordon's corruption is worse than any in the MCSO because he and Phoenix also intentionally subvert federal law and aid, abet, and harbor violent illegals while innocent lawful residents suffer terribly. HMG on the blog.
"Bait and Switch," do not even IMPLY that The Associates are any type of hate group or similar. That worn-out propaganda trick will not work anymore. In defense of "Bait and Switch," this blogger did not direct any comments specifically at us. Please research how much the Gordon corruption and pandering to illegal felons has created the negative Arizona images. HMG on the blog.
People are starting to get the picture -- the national media has focused on the wrong people, those who send out press releases. They are not covering those with a real stories to tell and it's more than illegal immigration which is the political label used to garner votes and cover up the real tragedies. Arizona is eating it's young and it's future.
the phil gordon haters are not serving Phoenix or the state of Arizona very well. you are the ones destroying the quality of life. such hatred and vicious public attacks show the reality of life in Arizona.
This is much bigger than Gordon. The bigots and hate groups that write in the blogs which the whole world can see would certainly raise a question whether I would want to establish a business in Arizona or raise a family here. As a tourist / world traveler, it is obvious people are not welcome, just their money. Come to the bars and restaurants and see who's waiting in the parking lot. Come for a big sporting or music event, same thing. They take the money, then discard the people. Where do they take them? To arpaio's 4th street jail matrix the world never sees. The media hoars elected officials wasting the taxpayers dime building their personal agendas are the main reason. A selfish, greedy self-destructive state with the Arizona legislators catering to these abusers. Harsh DUI laws - a person is faced with a plea as "violent felon" or face 10 years in prison. Harsh mandatory minimum sentencing so one's voice is never heard once they are locked up. The list goes on and on....
good work Phil and Stolers assocates!!!!!!!! keep hittin' this pinko faggit Gordon until he runs away from Phoenix. He always cried to his mommy when the heats on - so lets keep the burners on full for this ilegal lovin socialist liar . DEPORT 'EM ALL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - enforcer
The Associates thank blogger "Phil" for the accurate comments reflecting the opinion of the vast majority of citizens in Phoenix and beyond. The efforts of patriot ANNA GAINES in her recall effort were not in vain, despite the vicious attacks on her by the "Carl's Jr. Commie" Stephen Lemons, the cheeseburger-chompin' propagandist for Gordon. HMG on the blog.
Listen to "Fail" Gordon whine! Wait till you hear him holler when we throw him out of office, prosecute his sorry butt and delegate him to a life of ridicule and incarceration!
The Associates, with support from this writer, state: "CooperG, you and your worthless cause have had center stage for too long. This isn't arrogant, haughty rhetoric like yours is - it's the simple truth. Gordon and cronies to federal prison - NOW!" I concur fully. HMG on the blog, giving it back to CooperG.
Stoller, et. al.: Shut up. We've had enough braggadocio-centered lunacy from you and your nit-witted contemporaries. Phil may have a point on the media being somewhat to blame, but it's not for reporting that teachers have a meeting at a resort (maybe they deserve the break after dealing with severe class over-crowding and lack of supplies). The real reason is, as others have mentioned, Arpaio, Thomas, Horne, Hendershott, the asinine budget impasse and the lunatics who are trying to extend their 15 minutes of fame as long as possible. THEY are responsible for people not coming here. That's the message the media needs to be promoting. Put the blame directly where it belongs.
We relayed this to The Associates and they respond: "The Associates scoff at this criminally corrupt coward PHIL GORDON. He's paying an estimated $75,000 to $100,000 per week fending off lawsuits related to his administration's corruption and civil rights abuses. Now he can't hit up ACORN anymore. They're facing termination of federal and other hand-outs. We can almost predict another "tree fall" by Gordon as he tries to get undeserved sympathy. Bloggers, unite on this one - the guy's a loser and must leave." HMG with TIF on the blog.
and then there are the famous people, Maricopa County officials enjoy destroying so they can get themselves on national media ... DMX and Shaq, Stoudemire, and on and on.. Gun toters in the city at a President's visit was chilling. Whose decision was that? This is a sick, perverted game by a county sheriff and attorney who care more about ego than the best interest of the people. Those who voted them in, should foot the bill for their lawsuits and loss of business in the state of Arizona, the counties and cities. It's only fair.
Mr. King your article sums it up. The Days Inn on Thomas Road would have been the prudent decision. But when they use the taxpayers like a bottomless money pit, what does one expect!
arpaio, thomas, pearce, hendershot, pastor anderson, the gun-toting hate groups, illegal immigration witch hunts, the guns in bars, the photo-radar on state highways in excess, tazer headquarters and other high tech surveillance, mandatory minimum sentencing, harsh DUI laws that make people "violent felons" or go to prison for 10 years,and on and on.... is it any wonder why people would want to risk their lives in Arizona. All the mayors should be concerned. People are finally getting the word about this state. The 24/7 media hoars in the epicenter of evil have put Phoenix in the spotlight. This is who you can thank. Meanwhile the taxpayers foot the bill for the PR flacks who feed the media from downtown Phoenix Wells Fargo. It's too bad because Arizona is a beautiful state but people are not welcome. It can be seen in the signs at the rallies. You can also thank the legislators who write the laws and their constituents, the teabaggers. Arizona looks insane.
Maybe people are not crazy to visit AZ? With the antics of Arpaio, the preacher who is praying for Obama's death, the guy who went to Obama's speech fully armed, maybe people do not really want to come here. Gordon is just a pr spokesman for Phoenix. He has no real power.