January 11, 2017
The board of directors of the Desert Discovery Center Scottsdale has issued a media release that warns its recipients to beware of inaccurate, misleading, and fake articles opposing Scottsdale’s proposed Desert Discovery Center. The release claims that this misinformation is being provided by two Scottsdale organizations that are opposed to the DDC and/or its proposed location. The board of DDC Scottsdale includes long-standing and respected leaders of Scottsdale’s preservation effort. This news release provides information about the history of the center and its current status.
DDC Scottsdale Information Release
Related Articles & Websites
Desert Discovery Center Scottsdale Media Section, Links to Numerous Published About DDC, www.scottsdaledesertcenter.org/media/ Website
Scottsdale DDC Project Update News, October 7, 2016
January 11, 2017
The allegations in this article are false! Check out http://www.noddc.org/ for the facts. We have received through FOIA requests the documents that reveal their true intent and for how long they have been planning this.
We have an email verifying that they are pursuing Jeep Tours on the Preserve. They had no intention of “preserving” this land – they connived a way to get voters to pay for land that they will now develop and exploit for the financial benefit of themselves and their friends.
If you want the facts join us!
Facebook: Protect Our Preserve POP
and NoDDC
January 11, 2017
The only people spreading fake news is the DDC. We don’t need this waste of taxpayer money and it’s too bad the city of Scottsdale will build anything anywhere at any cost.
January 11, 2017
It is in fact the DDC that spreads the lies and conspires to destroy the preserve, preserved land and natural habitats for flora and fauna, using our tax money to fund what the residents do not want or need, and violating every ethical procedure in the process.
January 11, 2017
The Proponents of the Desert Discovery Center don’t seem to understand the basic fact that the Opponents of the DDC don’t care about the super spectacular educational benefits of the project. There’s no doubt that all efforts will be made to make the DDC a one-of-a-kind, high quality facility. Our point is that NO FACILITY should be built on this Preserve Land!! Period, END!!!
January 11, 2017
Have you verified that the information is indeed false? The opposition’s information seems well documented unlike the DDC BOD’s accusations of false and misleading.
January 11, 2017
The DDC is one of the worst ideas in Scottsdale history. It wants to take the one of the best things this community has ever done and destroy it. Why? So some can make a profit and others can have their ego stroked. The waste of our tax dollars is unprecedented. But denying our right to vote on it is unforgivable. The Preserve is a true treasure just like it is. And it should be preserved. Not turned in to a commercial development where people have to pay to learn that cactus have roots. NoDDC!
January 11, 2017
The DDCSI press release is a straight up lie. The fake news they speak of is actually the truth….I have seen public records which support NoDDC’s claims. Once again our government is not acting for the people but rather for special interests and to enrich themselves. I have tried to engage in communications with council members but they refuse to answer any questions related to the DDC….even simple questions such as their position as to whether the public should have a right to vote on DDC and if not, please explain why not. Over $2 million of our tax dollars have been spent on the DDC…yet DDCSI and the City Council still claim they have no idea about the size, budget, and design of the DDC. I believe NoDDC and not the spin from DDCSI.
January 11, 2017
Please show us proof of the 825 invalid emails, including the emails and how you determined they were invalid. To be blunt, I believe you are lying. This is public information, share it.
January 12, 2017
You are correct that this is public information. It has been posted on the City of Scotsdale website for several months: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/ScottsdaleAZ/News/News+Images/DDC/DDC+Online+Survey+DRAFT+Summary.pdf
January 12, 2017
That document does not explain how it was determined the emails were invalid. That is the information we want along with the email addresses that were determined invalid.
January 12, 2017
Even with the supposedly invalid ones removed, and assuming all of them opposed the DDC, over 80% of the remaining responses clearly opposed having the DDC in the Preserve. Also, the city conducted surveys at the few public meetings held where again over 95% of the respondents opposed the DDC in the Preserve. Seems like that isn’t mentioned. Also seems like clear public input to me, yet the DDCS would not accept or recognize any comment against the location.
The DDCS also opposed giving the public a vote on anything built in the Preserve, clearly they don’t want us to have any say in what happens in OUR Preserve.
Protect Our Preserve deals only with the facts, not interpretations of them taken out of context. protectourpreserve.org contains all the documents on both the Preserve and DDC (including ones taken off the city’s web site that are no longer available), and all the media letters and opinions on both sides of the issue, so people can learn from the facts and come to their own conclusions.
It is the DDCS that is propagating false information, not Protect Our Preserve. Check the facts and decide for your self.
January 12, 2017
Sorry but this is not misinformation! And no wonder the DDC folks need to lie about it, who would be in favor of bulldozing the desert to build a museum to show people what the desert was like before they bulldozed it!
No it is not that they are that dumb. More than likely they see a big pile of money in the perseveres bank account and see this as away to support their cronies.
January 12, 2017
The city council end DDC people are doing the citizens a major disservice. We voted for and paid for a preserve we own it they cannot and should not be allowed to use our tax dollars to develop what is supposed to be preserved. It is an outrage. If it is so wonderful then put it to citizen vote and see what happens. But they won’t do that because they don’t care what the people think.
January 12, 2017
Mayor Lane and the city council should be ashamed of themselves. Preserve money is TAXPAYER MONEY. If you vote to build the DDC you WILL be voted off of the council!
January 12, 2017
My husband and I recently bought a home in the McDowell Mountain Ranch community. We very purposely bought there because of the beautiful untouched, simply gorgeous mountains and trails. We searched for an area that offered quiet beauty, no frills, just the real deal with the mountains and trails accessible from the house or very nearby.
More recently, I have been made aware of the DDC proposal and have read most all articles on this proposed project and it is flawed from the get-go and I am wondering if I really want to own a home in Scottsdale if this is how business is done. We do not need a Disney-like discovery center, we do not want to fund a Disney-like discovery center and I certainly do not want to EVER see a pink jeep on one of the trails. It almost seems like a bad joke the way this has been handled, and that this is not the right project for this area. If it was such a great idea, I believe you’d see these projects in many mountainous areas but they don’t want it either. Please be respectful of the wishes of many and take this project elsewhere.
January 12, 2017
Curious – did your Realtor disclose the potential DDC development? Traffic, including tour busses from the resorts, the possibility of an outdoor amphitheater – lights, noise…Also, the potential diminution in value of your home? I do not live in an area directly affected, but I’d sure be looking into a potential class action.
January 12, 2017
I do not belong to any group. But as a Scottsdale resident, I do not like the idea of disturbing 30 acres of cactus and animals already living in the Preserved. Without buildings in the Preserve and admission fee, people CAN enjoy the desert.
January 13, 2017
The citizens of Scottsdale voted to tax themselves to purchase the Preserve land, these same citizens voted to tax themselves again to build trails and trailheads on this pristine land. Now the DDCS wants to build a major tourist attraction on our land and has finally admitted that they will use the Preserve Funds to pay it and deny us the right to vote on it. This is pure lunacy! Our Preserve, Our Vote.
January 15, 2017
It’s encouraging for me to see that all the comments here appear to oppose tearing up the Preserve to build this monstrosity. It’s all about money and the self interests of developers and politicians. They know that if a vote on it is allowed to go forward that they will lose so they will do everything in their power to keep a vote from occurring, including labeling published facts as “fake news.”
If it wasn’t so important it would be funny instead of sad. Look around at Scottsdale right now. Isn’t enough of the private desert land being torn up for “development?” Do you really need to do the same to preserved public land?
No DDC