July 24 Daily Briefing: More warehouses approved, pickleball project moves forward, and more

Welcome to Thursday, where we have an update for our subscribers with a comcast.net email address (if they ever see this). We earlier told you that we were having issues delivering our emails to those subscribers. Now we can confidently tell you that it’s Comcast’s fault. Our email partner informs us that Comcast is limiting emails from our server, causing delays and timeouts due to high volume. We’ve made a few backend changes to improve and stabilize delivery, but there’s no guarantee that will help, so we’ll continue to try and solve the issues as best we can. We apologize to several hundred of you (including Mark’s wife and father) who have comcast.net emails.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Comme Des Garçons (Like the Boys)” by Rina Sawayama

LEADING OFF

Commission approves massive warehouse project despite environmental concerns

The Palm Springs Planning Commission voted 5-1 Tuesday night to approve a controversial 2 million square foot warehouse development, overriding significant environmental impacts in favor of projected economic benefits. First Industrial Realty Trust received approval for two warehouse buildings on a 96-acre site despite unavoidable transportation and traffic impacts.

Driving the news: The commission adopted a statement of overriding considerations, acknowledging unavoidable environmental impacts while prioritizing the city’s financial needs.

• “Nobody wants this project,” said Vice Chair Lauri Aylaian before acknowledging that “Palm Springs needs money” to renovate the convention center, expand the airport and build a new fire station.

Why it matters: The project is projected to generate approximately $2 million annually in combined property and sales tax revenue for the city, addressing critical infrastructure funding needs.

The opposition: Community advocates raised environmental justice concerns, noting the nearby census tract ranks in the 91st percentile for ozone pollution.

• Resident Tamara Diamond warned that “unchecked development of large warehouses threatens to destroy the very environment we are entrusted to protect.”

By the numbers: The development will create an estimated 750 jobs and 285 construction positions over two years with payroll between $47 million and $55 million.

The dissent: Commissioner Robert Rotman cast the only opposing vote, expressing skepticism about economic benefits and concerns over long-term road maintenance costs from heavy truck traffic.

What’s next: Construction is expected to begin following final approvals, with completion projected around 2029.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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BRIEFLY

🚧 Pickleball court contract awarded after initial bids rejected

The city finally has a contract in place to construct new pickleball courts at Demuth Park. 

• The City Council unanimously approved a $5.1 million construction contract Monday night to expand Demuth Park’s pickleball facility from 12 to 22 courts, ending a two-year planning process that required scaling back the project due to budget constraints. 
  
• The eight-month contract was awarded to Deark E&C Inc., which will soon begin demolition of existing courts, a tennis court, and surrounding park amenities before building the new courts and amenities.
  
• Looking back: Original construction bids in May exceeded the approved $6 million budget, with costs ranging from $6.1 million to over $7 million for a planned 24-court complex, forcing city staff to conduct “value engineering” with design firm Kimley-Horn to reduce scope.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

G-Force Workout
7:30 a.m. | Ruth Hardy Park
Michael from MyPhysicology runs his all weekday long fitness program at Ruth Hardy Park. From hand-weights to mat exercises, all are welcome. The event is free but donations are appreciated. 

Better Brain And Balance
9 a.m. | Mizell Center
A workshop  for those noticing balance challenges or memory issues($48)

Game Night
4 p.m. | Starbase 505
Join the team at Starbase 505 for fun and friendly board games. Wether its a quick party game or deep strategy, the team will make you feel right at home.

Art Museum Free Admission
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museum 
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy free admission to galleries and exhibitions, and explore the collection at your own pace. 

VillageFest
7 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs  
Weather permitting, the street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food.

View all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Coffee with Riverside County Supervisor Manuel Perez on July 28
  
• CVRep’s summer series with Lee Roy Reams on July 29
  
• Dive-In Movie “Moana 2” rescheduled for Aug. 2 at Palm Springs Swim Center
  
• Decriminalize Nature Palm Springs event at Mizell Center on Aug. 9.
  
• Retreat to the Heat presented by The Palm Springs Writers’ Guild Aug. 10 through 13
  
• Pool Party for a Cause benefiting Palm Springs Animal Shelter on Aug. 15 

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AND FINALLY …

When you’re competing against airport executives from California to New Zealand (yes, really), winning top honors is no small feat. That’s just what happened Tuesday evening in Newport Beach to Harry Barrett, Jr., executive director of Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), who was named the 2025 Airport Executive of the Year by the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives.

Driving the news: Barrett was recognized with the organization’s highest honor for his transformational leadership at PSP since joining in 2020, marked by strategic growth, operational transparency, and what his peers described as a “people-first culture.”

• The award covers a massive geographic region including Arizona, Nevada, California, Hawaii, American Trust Territories in the South Pacific, parts of Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.

The numbers: Under Barrett’s leadership, PSP has secured more than $6 million in FAA grants, completed major infrastructure projects worth tens of millions, and generated over $2.5 billion in economic activity while supporting more than 18,000 jobs.

Why it matters: Barrett launched ProgressPSP.com for fiscal transparency, issued the airport’s first economic impact study, and nearly doubled staff during rapid growth — proving that running an airport well involves much more than just keeping the planes on schedule.

The recognition: One nomination praised Barrett’s ability to “balance warmth with clarity, friendship with leadership, and bold vision with everyday execution,” creating a workplace “where people feel proud to serve.”