By Lisa Borowsky | Mayor of Scottsdale
As we welcome the New Year, I want to thank you for making Scottsdale the most extraordinary community in the country. Your dedication, enthusiasm, and participation are what makes our city so great!
Let’s make Scottsdale the best the Southwest has to offer.
Looking ahead to 2026, we have important initiatives in the works at the Mayor’s Office, which are directed at strengthening our city and improving quality of life — and business — for all.
To begin, we are preparing to launch a Downtown Scottsdale Task Force to ensure our historic Old Town & Arts District remain vibrant, accessible, and economically strong. In furtherance of this goal, Scottsdale City Council is hosting a Downtown Scottsdale Summit at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7 at City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
The January 7th downtown summit will bring together city leaders, business owners, and tourism experts to discuss strategies for maintaining Old Town’s historic charm while addressing modern challenges such as parking and marketing.
Featured presentations include:
- Joan Fudala, Scottsdale historian and author, on the history of Old Town Scottsdale;
- Michael V. Lee, founder of MLD Worldwide, on creative approaches to tourism and entertainment design; and
- Chris Mielke, owner of Sonipark LLC, on innovative parking solutions.
I hope you can join us for this strategy session to see how we — the people who shape the future of Scottsdale — can create an environment where Old Town proprietors can reclaim their place as the destination for arts, dining and leisure experiences and excellence.
Concerned that we are at risk of losing the charm of Old Town Scottsdale, I am committed to not allowing that to happen — not on my watch.
Another major focus at the Mayor’s Office is working at positioning Scottsdale to play an active role as a member of the Coalition for Protecting Arizona’s Lifeline, a nonpartisan alliance of municipal leaders committed to advocating for Arizona’s continued access to Colorado River water and the Central Arizona Project, the state’s largest water delivery system.
Please stay tuned as we ramp up these important efforts.
I wish you and your loved ones a Happy New Year filled with health, happiness, and prosperity. Together, let’s make 2026 a year of progress and pride for our amazing community.
Yours in service,
Lisa Borowsky | Mayor of Scottsdale
