Prescott City outlines possible uses for $15.3 million state allocation for rodeo fairgrounds; residents and legal experts urge lease, gift-clause caution

At the Oct. 14, 2025 Prescott City Council study session, the City Attorney read the legislative language governing a $15,300,000 state appropriation (cited in the presentation as Senate Bill 1735 referencing Laws 2023, chapter 133, section 118, paragraph 2). The attorney read the statute's scope: monies are to "improve and refurbish the rodeo grounds owned by the city" and be spent to promote year-round use for rodeo and related events, including landscaping, drainage, water and sewer infrastructure, upgrades to the main-arena sound system and bleacher seating, construction of new restroom facilities to accommodate large crowds and "other site improvements that support the economic and tourism activity generated by the year round use of the rodeo grounds."

Staff presented a list of projects that they said fall within that legislative language, with very preliminary cost ranges: underground utilities (water, sewer, drainage) estimated at $8'$10 million; a new main-arena sound system estimated at $500,000'$600,000; replacement of seating components and railings at $300,000'$400,000; and a new restroom building estimated at $1 million to $1.5 million.…