By Mike Scerbo

Scottsdale-base Stilo Corporation’s plan to stuff  3 million  square feet of retail space, 8,00 residents , RV parks, and parking garages into Tusayan, in exchange for 40 acres of land, has the Superintendent of the Grand Canyon National park very worried.

David Uberuaga addressed the Tusayan Town Council on October 27^th and told them the Stilo plan, which is also opposed by the Sierra Club, and the Havasupai Tribal Council, could create a massive strain on the Grand Canyon National Park. Uberuaga is also concerned that the project would dry up water supplies that feed Grand Canyon Springs. Uberuaga told the Council, “Resources in this area are in greatest jeopardy from depletions and contamination to ground water, seeps, and springs, as well as alterations to cave and kart features. Not only are these resources the life blood of the communities, but to our native plant and wildlife as well.”

Uberuaga understands what Stilo refuses to acknowledge, and what some of the Town Council refuse to hear, that if you scar the landscape at the entrance to the Grand Canyon, you could also damage the national park itself by drying up the water supply. Uberuaga went on to tell the Town Council, “We are not opposed to land owners developing their properties-we do have concerns on how that development might affect the Grand Canyon National Park.”

You can read the Superintendent Uberuaga’s entire statement here.

Stilo, based in Scottsdale, would not feel the impact if the Grand Canyon national park were ravaged by its development plans. The land would be sold and Developer Tom DePaolo and his buddies will be counting their millions from offices in Scottsdale and Italy, while the residents of the Grand Canyon National Park and the residents of Tusayan will be left to face the music.