Developer's ties to Paradise Valley mayor hopeful eyed

More details are emerging about a decision by the developer of the Ritz-Carlton project in Paradise Valley to support Maria Syms in the town's upcoming mayoral election. Jerry Ayoub, CEO of Scottsdale-based Five Star Development, has made it clear that he does not want Mayor Scott LeMarr re-elected. Ayoub's political move centers on his efforts to revamp his development plan for the Ritz-Carlton. He has created an independent expenditure committee -- Citizens for PV Honesty and Progress -- to support Syms. She is the town's Planning Commission chairwoman and LeMarr's sole opponent in the March 13 election. For the first time, town voters will select a mayor, replacing the old system of council members appointing one of their own to the leadership post. In 2008, the Town Council, including LeMarr, unanimously approved the roughly 100-acre Ritz-Carlton project west of Scottsdale Road and north of Lincoln Drive. Later that year, voters also backed the proposal, which has since stalled because of the real-estate meltdown. The Ritz-Carlton site is next to another Five Star project, Palmeraie, a hotel-condo-retail project. The Palmeraie site is in Scottsdale.

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