Posted By Les Conklin on May 1, 2016

Courtesy DDC Scottsdale
April 21, 2016

The Basics

Saguaro Sunset by Susan Q. Byrd

 What is the Desert Discovery Center? 

Scottsdale’s Desert Discovery Center (DDC) is envisioned as an interpretive, education and research center

intended to complement the McDowell Sonoran Preserve experience and be a focal point for understanding

human interaction with arid environments. At this point, the City of Scottsdale is in the project planning phase for

the DDC concept to determine what elements should be included, how large it might be and how much it would

cost to build and operate.

Where will the Desert Discovery Center be located? 

The City Council has authorized further development of the DDC concept at the Gateway Trailhead located within

Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The Gateway location for the DDC was approved by the City Council in

2007 as part of the Gateway Municipal Use Master Site Plan (MUMSP). The Gateway Trailhead is located on

relatively flat land, pulled away from the mountain slopes. The process for reviewing the site plan and design for

the DDC at the Gateway will be a proposed site amendment to the MUMSP, which will be considered by the City

Council through the public hearing process.

How is the proposed project being paid for? 

The construction of the DDC is not currently approved or funded. In January 2016, the Scottsdale City Council

approved creating a business plan and feasibility analysis for the DDC concept and selecting an architect to create

conceptual site and floor plans, as well as preliminary building designs. These contracts were funded by $1.7

million in bed tax dollars – money paid by visitors who rent rooms at Scottsdale’s resorts and hotels. Bed tax

dollars can only be spent on projects that support tourism in Scottsdale.

What is the City currently doing? 

The current planning effort has three major elements as a result of the January 2016 City Council Meeting:

1. Create a business plan and feasibility analysis for the Desert Discovery Center. This work will be done by

Desert Discovery Center Scottsdale (DDCS), a nonprofit entity hired by the City. In addition, the DDCS is

conducting public outreach and exploring the fundraising potential of the project with the goal of

offsetting the need for public dollars.

2. Begin the process to amend the City site plan at the Gateway Trailhead, which would be necessary if the

Desert Discovery Center is built there.

3. Hire an architect to create conceptual site and floor plans and preliminary building designs.

When will It be built? 

The current planning phase of the project will be complete in August 2017. Upon completion, it will be up to the

City Council to determine if they want to move forward with the project.

What elements will be Included In the DDC concept and how big It will be? 

The exact size and design for the DDC is what we are in the process of determining. The DDCS will develop the

recommended concept, building upon the work that has emerged from multiple previous studies, reconsidering all

aspects in terms of a new economy, new partners and a new vision. This includes expanding on the extensive

public outreach done for the Phase II study in 2010.

The 2010 DDC concept called for several, small-scale linked pavilions on the site, and that is the starting point for

the current evaluation. Although the City has identified 30 acres as the current study area, the entire area would

not likely be utilized. The vision is for the DDC to be built on a minimalist footprint that reflects the vision for this

project – “to educate and inspire people to value and thrive in desert environments through transformative

experiences based on global scientific study.”

How do I stay informed about the Desert Discovery Center’s progress? 

Visit ScottsdaleAZ.gov and search “DDC.” There you can get information on the project and if you’d like to be

added to our mailing list, sign up.

History/Preserve

How long has the DDC been planned? 

The DDC educational/interpretive center concept has been a part of community conversations for more than 30

years. Early Preserve discussions include City planning documents and publications dating back to the McDowell

Mountain Task Force in 1993. Several City Council actions over the past 20 years have acknowledged or accepted

reports locating the DDC at the Gateway to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Over the past 20 years the DDC

concept has been discussed in numerous City meetings, open houses and community conversations. The concept

has evolved from that of a basic information center into a global center focused on tourism, research, education

and policies regarding sustainable living in arid environments.

I thought this was a preserve and building wasn’t allowed? 

Citizens and visitors, through their sales tax dollars, paid for the Preserve. Providing access for everyone, has and

always will be, an important Preserve goal, including access for those who do not hike, bike or horseback ride.

There are currently 11 access areas, four with existing trailhead buildings, and a few smaller maintenance sheds in

the Preserve. Two more trailhead facilities are currently in the design stages.

How do we ensure that the Desert Discovery Center will maintain the Integrity of the Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve?

 The DDC concept is intended to complement the experience of the Preserve, encourage preservation and instill a

sense of harmony and respect for the desert. DDC facilities and programs would be compatible with Scottsdale’s

Preserve Ordinance. As a model for sustainability, the DDC would be desert-sensitive and low-scale. The goal

would be for visitors to gain an increased understanding of why preservation and conservation is so important.

If built at the Gateway, will any of the existing trails be eliminated to make way for the Desert Discovery Center?

No trails will be eliminated. There might be some minor rerouting to the Desert Park Trail, but the experience on

that trail, as a connector to the DC Ranch Village Health Club and Spa, will remain the same. The Phase II concept

locates the DDC north of the existing public trailhead building.

Funding/Operation

What will the DDC cost?

 The ultimate cost of the DDC will not be determined until the final planning and design of the facility is complete.

How would the construction of the Desert Discovery Center be funded?

 Private and public funding sources for the project are currently being studied and evaluated. One source is the

City’s bed tax dollars, which are generated by tourism specifically for projects of this nature. The DDC is envisioned

as a public/not-for-profit partnership with private sector dollars supplementing the City’s investment. DDCS

already has raised funds and the recently approved City contract requires the DDCS to raise an additional $270,000

in private funds and in-kind contributions for this phase of the project’s implementation and commits the private

sector to a goal of raising at least 10 percent of DDC capital costs.

How will the Desert Discovery Center be financially sustained If It Is built?

 The DDC is planned to be self-sustaining and would include an annual development funding goal, in addition to

earned revenue, memberships and corporate/individual giving. A capital campaign to include a three-year

operating reserve and the beginning of an endowment is envisioned. A resilient DDC would be an important

component of the City’s economic development strategies.

Who will own and run the Desert Discovery Center?

 The City of Scottsdale would own the land, buildings and infrastructure for the DDC. However, it is envisioned that

a private operator would be under contract to run the facility on a daily basis, providing programs, experiential

exhibits, volunteers and staff. This model for a public/private partnership is used to run facilities such as Western

Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West.

Will the DDC be a commercial operation?

 No, the DDC will be a municipal use, managed and operated by a not-for-profit organization. Many of the

municipal use facilities that we enjoy as citizens, provided to us by our City are not commercial operations (parks,

museums, civic plazas, libraries, educational programs, etc.).

Community

I live in the neighborhood. Why haven’t i heard about the Desert Discovery Center?

 The DDC has been conceived, studied and discussed in the community since the mid-80s. In January

2016, the City of Scottsdale voted to move forward with the next stage of planning for the DDC,

including hiring an architect to develop schematic plans. This is why you are now starting to hear more

about the DDC. In the coming months, there will be a great deal of public outreach and many

opportunities to ask questions and learn more.

How will the Desert Discovery Center affect traffic in the area?

Bell Road and Thompson Peak Parkway are classified as Minor Arterials, designed to service 25,000 to

34,000 average daily trips. Both roads have divided medians and turning lanes. These roadways were

designed and constructed to support much higher traffic volumes than currently exist in this area of the

city. As the DDC concept is developed, attendance projections and traffic volumes will be evaluated, as

well.

How could the Desert Discovery Center impact the business community and tourism industry?

The tourism industry supported the creation of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and being able to

provide a unique Sonoran Desert immersive experience showcases Scottsdale’s destination tourism

brand. Visitors to these types of learning and experience venues comprise a significant segment of the

travel industry. They also stay 53 percent longer and spend 35 percent more money than other kinds of

tourists, thus benefitting local businesses.

How could the Desert Discovery Center benefit Scottsdale residents? 

Citizens already can hike, bike and ride their horses within the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. With the

addition of the DDC, they also would be able to learn more about their Sonoran desert home, while

providing a one-of-a-kind experience to share with out-of-town visitors. The DDC’s environmental,

science and Arizona history educational programs, tied to state standards, would also be a vital resource

for local teachers and school children.

For more information and to sign up for project updates, visit:

scottsdaleaz.gov (search Desert Discovery Center).

Related Articles & Websites

Scottsdale Desert Discovery Center Moves Forward – Published January 2016

Desert Discovery Center Scottsdale Facebook Page,  Visit Facebook Page

City of Scottsdale Website, DDC Information Visit Website