Scottsdale council declines mayor's Westworld stakeholder task force proposal after split vote

Mayor Lisa Boroski proposed creating a seven-member stakeholder task force to advise on Westworld operations, composed of event producers, equestrian industry representatives and vendor stakeholders. City attorney counsel noted the council could waive residency and dual-service rules for a task force, and the mayor argued stakeholder input would provide institutional knowledge.

Opponents, including Councilwoman Cathy Littlefield and several council members, said Westworld's issues are managerial and should be addressed by the city manager, who has authority to direct staff and report to the council. Littlefield said a task force "would merely slow down the process" and preferred regular status reports from the city manager. Councilmembers Barry Graham and Adam Quasman raised concerns about conflicts of interest (for example, naming a major tenant as chair) and emphasized financial oversight and defining success metrics for Westworld.

Supporters said stakeholder input could help address site-specific operational matters such as event logistics, facility repairs and revenue distribution among different event types. Council discussion included requests for regular reporting and performance indicators; a motion to impanel the task force was seconded but failed on the council vote.

The failure leaves responsibility for Westworld improvements with city management; several councilmembers said they expect the city manager to provide regular updates and to return to the council if progress is insufficient.