Mike Varney, head of the Tucson Metro Chamber, wants to make one thing clear. He is not launching a campaign against the nickname “Old Pueblo.” But Varney and chamber chairman Kurt Wadlington did write that Tucson's moniker is “great for history buffs, but a mindset and attitude toward prosperity is long overdue.” Varney explained the comment was printed in a program for a chamber event.
“All we did was question whether ‘Old Pueblo’ was in synch with the type of image that we want people to have about doing business in Tucson and southern Arizona,” Varney said. “In our view, there’s a little bit of a mismatch there, but historically and culturally, it is who we are.”
This is not the first time Tucson’s nickname has run into controversy. In 1981, city leaders ran a contest for a new handle. “The Sunshine Factory” won but never caught on.