The Tucson City Council approved a land conveyance on Tuesday, transferring 212 acres located south of Tucson International Airport from city ownership to the U.S. Air Force. While the transfer is complete, the specific future use of the parcel by Raytheon is not yet official, though the company is the intended beneficiary of the arrangement.
The decision stems from a series of agreements spanning three decades. In 1995, the city and Raytheon established a pre-annexation agreement that set the stage for the current transfer. A 2009 deal required Raytheon to contribute property tax payments into a dedicated fund to finance the land acquisition.
In 2016, city leadership approved the use of those funds to buy the property from the Tucson Airport Authority, with the $6.2 million purchase finalized in 2020.
Councilman Paul Cunningham, representing Ward 2, explained that Raytheon paid into a fund to enable the city to purchase the land and then convey it for the company’s infrastructure needs. He noted that these legacy deals were established decades ago and cannot be reversed.
Cunningham stated that his vote was driven by economic considerations, estimating that Raytheon’s future operations could generate more than 1,000 high-paying jobs for the region. He acknowledged having personal misgivings about military conflicts but separated those views from the economic benefits for Tucson.
The vote, which passed 4-2, has drawn criticism from community members concerned about the lack of public engagement. Maria Sohn Hasman, a member of the Tucson Anti-War Committee, described the process as a shock, noting that no community feedback was sought. She expressed concern over the expansion of weapons manufacturing, specifically referencing recent contracts for missile production.