PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Court of Appeals has upheld a judge’s ruling against state Attorney General Mark Brnovich in his lawsuit challenging a deal between Arizona State University and hotel developers.
Tax Court Judge Christopher Whitten had ruled that Brnovich’s office didn’t have legal authority to file the original lawsuit and expanded it later after a one-year statute of limitation had expired.
Building the hotel on university land would make it exempt from property taxes, and Brnovich argued the deal was an unconstitutional gift to developers. The regents said the transaction wasn’t one-sided because it provided rental payments and a needed conference center and hotel.
