Exclusive: Businesses question Old Town Scottsdale safety plan
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Old Town. Photo: Ash Ponders for The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Arizona Restaurant Association supports safety improvements in Old Town but is warning city officials against costly, one-size-fits-all mandates.
Why it matters: A deadly September shooting renewed pressure on the city to shore up safety in the bustling entertainment district, but proposed changes could shift more responsibility and costs to bars and restaurants.
State of play: The city is considering more foot and bike patrols, better lighting and cameras.
- Proposals also include clearer security staffing and training rules, tighter noise standards, stronger crowd controls, bollard-style barriers and possibly PatronScan ID scanners, which can flag fake IDs and patrons who have been violent or disruptive in the past.
Catch up quick: Mayor Lisa Borowsky convened entertainment district operators and city officials after a Sept. 6 fatal shooting.
- Police Chief Joe LeDuc has separately proposed clearer security staffing expectations for high-volume venues, better lighting and camera coverage, improved crowd management and expanded crime suppression operations.
Driving the news: Steve Chucri, president and CEO of the Arizona Restaurant Association, tells Axios the industry supports better lighting and consequences for problem operators but opposes sweeping new mandates.
- His concerns include requiring venues to use PatronScan, imposing stricter noise limits and shifting additional security costs to businesses. Scottsdale already requires one guard per 50 patrons.
- PatronScan technology isn't cheap either. For reference, Tucson spent about $3,200 per PatronScan device this summer.
- "How do you mandate someone uses one form of security?" Chucri says of PatronScan.
Reality check: Both Chucri and Borowsky say Scottsdale remains safe despite several recent incidents.
- Violent crime calls for service in Old Town fell 50% from 468 in 2021 to 234 in 2025, according to the city.
- And 82% of Scottsdale overnight visitors surveyed by Longwoods International, a tourism market research firm, said they felt very or extremely safe while traveling in the city, Experience Scottsdale's Stephanie Pressler tells Axios.
By the numbers: Scottsdale deploys about 38 police personnel in and around Old Town on typical weekend nights through 2:30am, when the entertainment district attracts an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people.
What's next: Chucri says the association will press the city for a measured approach as officials review possible changes to Scottsdale's Public Safety Plan ordinance.
- New mandates would likely require council approval, while police could adjust enforcement and add certain safety plan requirements administratively.
- Scottsdale Police plan to discuss the recommendations with nightlife and hospitality businesses at a combined Bar and Hotel Summit later this month.