For a decade, Mike Anderson led Mesquite to new economic heights. Now Mesquite is honoring Anderson for future decades by naming a park after the longtime mayor.
On Monday, Mesquite council green-lighted naming the future park on Emporium Square the Mike Anderson Park. The park will include soccer, cricket, and volleyball fields.
“I am truly humbled and honored for having this park named after me,” said Mike Anderson. “I want to thank all the councilmembers and mayors that I ever served with[.] Each and every one of them made me a better public servant. This is the most humbling experience I have ever had.”
Anderson, a proud Mesquite High School graduate and life-long Mesquite resident, served from 1997 to 2007 as Mesquite’s mayor.
When presenting Anderson with the honor, Mayor Bruce Archer said, “During Mike Anderson’s tenure as mayor, the city experienced significant economic growth. His leadership brought initiatives that impacted the community for many years, including the reconstruction of LBJ, which provided better access to the Town East area and expanded retail development to the Marketplace at Towne Centre.”
Furthermore, Anderson was instrumental in the passage of the Mesquite Quality of Life (4B) Sales Tax increase. This increased taxes to be spent on public safety funding, better parks, and better roadways throughout the community.
According to Archer, during Anderson’s tenure, the city’s tax base grew, which led to the development of the Skyline Industrial area and the Falcon’s Lair residential area.
Additionally, he initiated the effort to create the Towne Centre Tax Increment Finance Reinvestment Zone Number Two. As a result, the city collected millions of tax dollars to expand roadways and infrastructure projects.