Sugar Skulls owner resigns from Rio Nuevo board
Edmund Marquez has resigned as vice chairman of the Rio Nuevo District Board after 11 years to focus full-time on the Tucson Sugar Skulls as the team pushes through a playoff run.
Rio Nuevo Vice Chairman Edmund Marquez has resigned after 11 years to focus full-time on the Tucson Sugar Skulls, the professional indoor football team he owns and leads as the club pushes through a playoff run.
Rio Nuevo is a tax increment finance district funded by a share of state sales tax dollars, investing in projects that expand the tax base and bring people and new businesses to revitalize downtown Tucson. Marquez was appointed to the board in 2015 by Gov. Doug Ducey.
"Serving on this board for the past 11 years has been one of the great honors of my professional and civic life," Marquez said in a nwes release. "Together, we have accomplished a great deal, and I am proud of the role Rio Nuevo has played in strengthening our community through thoughtful investment and economic development."
Marquez said the decision wasn't easy, but the timing reflects a pivotal moment for the Sugar Skulls. With the team in the middle of a playoff run, setting organizational records and building momentum on and off the field, he said the moment demands his full attention.
"Although I am stepping away from the board, my passion for Tucson and its continued growth remains as strong as ever," Marquez said. "I will continue to support the economic development of our community in every way I can and look forward to cheering on Rio Nuevo's continued success in the years ahead."
Board Chairman Fletcher McCusker called Marquez a valuable member of the board.
"He has engaged every day, tirelessly," McCusker said in the news release. "We wish him only the best."
Board members are appointed by the governor, the state Senate president and the Speaker of the House.
With Marquez's resignation and the death of longtime board member Chris Sheafe in April, the Speaker of the House and the Senate president will each appoint one new member.
The resignation comes as Rio Nuevo faces financial strain, with a projected 25% drop in monthly revenue forcing the district to dip into its reserves for the first time in years.
Caitlin Schmidt is editor and publisher of Tucson Spotlight.
Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation.
