Tucson IDA Invests $21,920 in Downtown Tucson Partnership
Authority steps up to support the district it calls home
TUCSON, Ariz. (September 17, 2026) — The Tucson Industrial Development Authority (Tucson IDA) has contributed $21,920 to the Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP), an amount equal to the Downtown Tucson Business Improvement District (BID) assessment that the Tucson IDA is not required to pay.
Property owners within the BID pay an assessment based on the square footage of their land and buildings, using a formula established when the district was created in 1998 and adjusted annually for inflation since 2008. Roughly 120 owners and 387 properties fall within the district’s 54 blocks. The Tucson IDA operates as an independent city-wide public finance authority for broad economic development. In contrast, the Downtown Tucson Partnership functions as a localized district management organization dedicated to downtown upkeep and marketing. The authority is under no obligation to participate, but is electing to invest in the downtown it serves.
“The Tucson IDA is incredibly proud to support the Downtown Tucson Partnership and the vital work they do every day,” said Dre Thompson, CEO of the Tucson Industrial Development Authority. “Downtown is the heartbeat of our community, a place where Tucson’s history, culture, commerce, and creativity come together. Through their care, imagination, and steadfast commitment, the DTP helps make downtown a place that feels unmistakably Tucson: welcoming, dynamic, and full of possibility.”
“Stepping up when you are not required to send an incredibly meaningful message about the value of a strong downtown,” said Crystal Moore, President and CEO of the Downtown Tucson Partnership. “We are grateful to Dre and the Tucson IDA for recognizing the collective impact of our work and choosing to invest alongside our downtown property owners. We hope that others who share this downtown with us will see the same value and decide to join them.”
The contribution follows Tucson Electric Power’s $61,000 investment toward the fiscal year 2027 assessment program, announced in June after the Mayor and Council unanimously approved the continuation of BID assessments for the year beginning July 1. Together, the two organizations have brought nearly $83,000 into the district from outside the assessment rolls.
That support funds the enhanced services DTP has delivered under contract with the City of Tucson since the district was formed, including streetscape maintenance, Clean and Safe Ambassador services, public safety initiatives, marketing, advocacy, and economic development. The City has renewed both the district and DTP’s Enhanced Services Agreement every five years since 2003, most recently in 2023, when the district drew no formal objections from property owners, and the agreement won unanimous approval from the Mayor and Council.
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About Downtown Tucson Partnership
Founded in 1998, the Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP) is a nonprofit organization that manages and markets the Downtown Tucson Business Improvement District, supporting the property owners, businesses, and residents who make up downtown. The district spans 54 blocks in downtown Tucson, centered on Congress and Stone Avenues. Funded primarily through a stakeholder-approved property assessment, DTP provides enhanced safety, cleaning, marketing, economic development, and placemaking services designed to strengthen downtown’s role as Southern Arizona’s civic and economic center. Please find us online and on our socials: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About the Tucson Industrial Development Authority
Tucson IDA is a mission-driven development finance agency dedicated to advancing strategic economic and community development through innovative financing and expanded access to capital. By partnering with public, private, and community organizations, Tucson IDA helps bring projects to life that create opportunity, strengthen neighborhoods, and support a thriving Southern Arizona. Find us online and on our socials: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.