Richard Williamson

DALLAS — Seeking to forestall default on $127 million of stadium bonds, the Harris County Houston Sports Authority is challenging a UBS Investment Bank demand for a $26.75 million swap termination fee issued last week.

DALLAS — The Maricopa County Community College District is surrounded by the economic troubles of the Phoenix metro area, but the 10-campus system will still carry top ratings into an upcoming $150 million issue of general obligation bonds.

DALLAS — San Antonio’s CPS Energy will remain a formal partner in expansion plans for the South Texas Project nuclear plant, even though major investor NRG Energy has backed out and the project is at a standstill.

DALLAS — Isolux Corsan Group, a private Spanish developer, could finance and build the next major link in a beltway around the Denver metro area if it reaches agreement with the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority.

The Texas State University System next week plans to issue $114.5 million of revenue financing system bonds as Texas legislators consider another $320 million for the nine-campus system in its centennial year.

Alpine School District officials expect to ask voters to authorize $210 million of bonds to rebuild 12 schools and improve earthquake safety at 14 others.

Fitch Ratings has affirmed its AAA on the Southern Ute Indian Tribe's $305 million of adjustable-rate bonds and maintained the notes rating at the top F1-plus with a stable outlook. The ratings were affirmed as part of the agency's routine surveillance.

Fitch Ratings downgraded the Maricopa County Stadium District two notches to BBB-minus from BBB-plus due to falling revenues pledged for outstanding bonds, analysts said last week. The outlook is negative.

DALLAS — The Texas Transportation Commission has cleared the way for financing a $1.6 billion toll road in Dallas County that leverages a federal loan and the TTC’s strong credit ratings.

DALLAS — Standard & Poor’s on Wednesday upgraded the New Mexico Finance Authority to AAA from AA-plus ahead of a $16 million issue of senior-lien tax-backed bonds.

DALLAS — The Texas Department of Transportation would get another $3 billion of bond authorization under a proposal from the chairman of the state Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee, but he said finding a long-term solution to the chronic problem of highway funding is not likely in the current session.

DALLAS — As its tax base shrinks amid the ongoing housing slump, Dallas County will seek savings on its long-term debt and finance improvements to its jail and court facilities with a package of bonds and notes worth a combined $76.5 million this week.

DALLAS — Construction is expected to begin in June on a $400 million Union Pacific rail hub in Santa Teresa, N.M., financed through a public-private partnership, after New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez signed four bills related to the project.

DALLAS — As part one of a two-part transaction, Denver Public Schools on Tuesday issued $400 million of certificates of participation designed to lower the cost of a controversial 2008 floating-rate deal that funded the teachers pension program.

DALLAS — Amid ambitious expansion plans, Denver International Airport will price up to $400 million of refunding revenue bonds on Thursday.

DALLAS — Arizona Gov. Jan ­Brewer is considering an $8.3 billion budget that she negotiated with the Republican-controlled Legislature despite misgivings about some of the $1.1 billion in spending cuts.

Gov. Gary Herbert last week signed a bill to provide $83 million in bonding authority for buildings at Utah colleges and a mental hospital, despite reservations about using debt.

Despite modest growth, the West Texas city of San Angelo carries strong ratings on $28 million of general obligation refunding bonds expected to be priced this week.

Facing a dramatic downturn in property valuations, the Phoenix suburb of Glendale is considering restructuring some of its debt to ease growing fiscal stress.

DALLAS — In the largest deal of the year from Texas, the North Texas Tollway Authority will issue more than $1 billion of debt this week, carrying its highest credit rating in three years.