Scottsdale council hears Westworld stakeholders; staff to return with strategic plan, short-term fixes and task force item

Scottsdale city council on Aug. 18, 2025 centered a special work/study session on Westworld operations after a wave of stakeholder concerns, including the recent termination of assistant manager Larry Gimple, repeated leadership turnover and deferred infrastructure needs.

Stakeholders from the equestrian and events communities told the council they fear lost events and diminished competitiveness. "We have had a turnover to my recollection of just me going through county people of 40 people," said Jeff Geracki, a Westworld employee, describing staff churn and saying the facility has had "five general managers" in recent years. Equestrian producers and association representatives said Gimple’s dismissal left Westworld without equestrian expertise in management and urged immediate rehiring or replacement.

City staff laid out the facility’s role and costs. "The majority of the footprint is on federally owned land that is managed by the Bureau of Reclamation," Judy Doyle, senior director of enterprise operations, told council members, noting BOR standards affect project timelines and design. Doyle said…