Pima County, Arizona won a round in its fight over an incentives package it provided to near-space balloon company World View. The state Court of Appeals on Thursday said competitive bidding laws do not apply when counties are trying to lure a specific company to the area. In a unanimous ruling, the three-judge panel acknowledged the purpose of competitive bids is to ensure that the county — and, by extension, […]

Some bad news for World View Enterprises: a judge has voided a contract between the high-altitude balloon company and Pima County in Arizona. Pima County Superior Court Judge Catherine Woods said Pima County was obligated to appraise the land and hold a public auction before agreeing to a $15 million incentives package for World View Enterprise last year. Woods wrote the Legislature “intended to protect public resources from being used […]

A judge is allowing a lawsuit challenging the $15 million deal between World View Enterprises and Pima County, Arizona to continue. Pima County Superior Court Judge Catherine Woods denied the county’s attempt to have three of four counts in a suit brought by the conservative Goldwater Institute dismissed. Woods said she would rule on the remaining count, which alleges that the county violated the Arizona constitution’s gift clause, later. That […]