It is too early in the planning to estimate the costs. The Partners’ first job will be to determine what can and will be built on the site. We estimate that half of the 100 acres earmarked for the university is “buildable,” but even that figure is open to interpretation. Of course, not all aspects of the campus will be built at once. Moreover, preservation of open space will be a major factor in campus design.
A major source of university capital comes from private developers who build and lease student housing and from industries that contribute to university research facilities.
Arizona State Parks and the City have access to grant monies from several sources that can help subsidize the master planning and development of the marina, golf course and the multi-use campus. As with many federal and state park facilities, the golf course will likely be done through a private developer and a long-term lease.
Likewise, the HFHE and PED as non-profit organizations can raise funds and apply for matching grants to provide the building capital. The “Sierra Vista model,” mentioned frequently, refers to the private fundraising activity that built the University of Arizona South campus in Sierra Vista. The Sierra Vista Foundation raised the money to construct the initial four buildings on that cam-pus.