Sedona Cultural Park - Take 2

By Staff Writer | Sedona.biz
 
On May 26, 2000, at the western gateway of Sedona off 89A, the 50.2 acre Sedona Cultural Park opened with grand fanfare.

The Phoenix Symphony Orchestra performed at its sparkling new Georgia Frontiere Performing Arts Pavilion, a 5,000 seat amphitheater named after St. Louis Rams owner and accomplished soprano, Georgia Frontiere, who helped launch the Sedona Cultural Park with a $1 million donation.  At the time, Arizona Republic reporter Ken LaFave wrote that "[the Sedona Cultural Park is] a new chapter in the history of Arizona arts."

The Sedona Cultural Park was financed with private funds by accumulating approximately $1.6 million in private land and offering it to the U.S. Forest Service in exchange for the park's fifty acre site.  The park was established to provide a venue for performances of music, dance, and theater and a full range of cultural and educational programs.  Dan Schay, the park's president and executive director at the time, told LaFave, "This took 20 years to accomplish, and there are people who aged 20 years in the last week just getting it open."

In 2002, the Sedona Cultural Park's Acting Director, Alan Horton, stated in the Red Rock Review, "Programming is hard.  So is fundraising...programming costs money - a lot of money. Money we have to pay out now, this spring, before the season begins. Advances to artists and bands, booking fees, season marketing efforts, equipment repair and purchase - all of this requires a lot of capital.

Sadly, shortly thereafter the Sedona Cultural Park closed the curtain due to financial problems and filed for bankruptcy.

In 2004, the City of Sedona commissioned a feasibility study for a Sedona Performing Arts and Conference Center. The Sedona Cultural Park ranked first in the evaluation and its financial distress was highlighted.  One of the noted benefits was the park's close proximity to the Yavapai College Center and the Sedona Red Rock High School which would have allowed for joint programming with these schools. 

The land (reduced to 44 acres) was then purchased by Sathcupa LLC, which stands for Save the Cultural Park, and sat dormant and in disrepair until 2006 when Sathcupa filed a community plan amendment with the City to convert the park's zoning from "Publi/Semi-Public" to "Planned Area."  Sathcupa wanted to add a hotel and a restaurant to the master plan which were not consistent with the park's original zoning designation. The City Council had previously rejected a similar proposed amendment from the Sedona Cultural Park prior to Sathcupa LLC purchasing the land.

This time around, however, Sathcupa retained former Sedona Mayor Susan Solomon, now the owner of Solomon Public Affairs, to assist it with a community outreach program, and also indicated that it was actively seeking buyers for the land.  The approval of the proposed amendment would have required a 2/3 vote of the Sedona City Council along with public hearings.

Prior to a decision, however, Sathcupa LLC announced in October 2006 that it had gone into escrow with Fitch Industries, a family-owned and operated corporation, which among other activities, owns and operates senior communities, such as Prescott Lakes Senior Community in Prescott, Arizona.

On October 5, 2006 Sathcupa LLC submitted a revised community plan amendment with the City, this time with the input of Fitch Industries.

The revised amendment proposed redesigning the park in two phases.

Phase I will be within the original "Planned Area" zoning requirements and include the currently allowed Arts Village, Performing Arts Center, and Amphitheater, and retain the open space in the southwest and southeast corners of the property.

Phase I will cover 20 acres and the amphitheater will be scaled back from 5,000 seats to 1,200 seats, and a new 250 seat indoor performing arts center will be created.  This is consistent with the results of the feasibility study commissioned by the City Council in 2004.

The Arts Village will include art galleries, indoor and outdoor cafes, and a museum, among other things.

Phase II  will be brought forward in 2007 as a further community plan amendment, and is more in line with the City Council's stated City objectives than a hotel and restaurant.  This phase will include senior living and senior facilities to Sedona, such as apartments, assisted living, senior condominiums, and some affordable housing, as well an additional 400 space parking structure.

Click for pop-up Fitch Industries Map for Sedona Cultural Park Redesign - Phase I & II

Community Meeting
As part of its continuing community outreach, Solomon Public Affairs has been retained by Fitch Industries and will hold a community-wide meeting where residents will learn about the company and its plan to develop the site.

After the presentation, there will be ample time for questions and comments.  The details of the meeting are:

Date:     Monday, October 23, 2006
Place:    Radisson Poco Diablo Resort Ballroom
Time:    5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

For more information, contact Susan Solomon at susan@esedona.net or call 928-204-9200.
 

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