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Sedona council approves RFI and amended letter of intent to explore Cultural Park amphitheater revival
Summary
After months of public debate, the Sedona City Council authorized a request for information and approved an amended non‑binding letter of intent to solicit proposals for redeveloping the Cultural Park amphitheater and Western Gateway area, preserving language to attract private operators while requiring community benefits and noting zoning constraints and parking limits.
Sedona’s City Council on May 26 approved a non‑binding letter of intent and a Request for Information to explore possible redevelopment options for the Cultural Park amphitheater and surrounding Western Gateway, prompting divided public comment and edits to the documents to protect community interests.
City staff presented the two documents as a first, fact‑finding step. Kirk (city staff) told the council the RFI is intended to gather industry expertise and that responses would inform whether the city issues a later request for proposals. Staff described the site’s legal constraints, noting the 1995 master plan and 2002 zoning conditions and said the draft RFI would run through Sept. 30 unless council chose to extend it.
A central point of debate was how much of the 41‑acre parcel to make available. Staff explained the exhibit in question showed up to 25 acres available to the amphitheater and accompanying uses after preserving steep slopes, viewshed protection and a possible five‑acre area for the Sedona International Film Festival (SIF). Some residents and industry speakers argued the map and acreage are necessary for partners and accurate budgeting; others said leaving the plan flexible would better protect community uses.
Public speakers were sharply divided. Herb Tiffany, a contractor, said the redlined LOI corrected site‑footprint issues that contractors and operators need to see to make realistic proposals and urged approval. Opponents including Tim Perry said the documents lack enforceable language to ensure regular community access, local artist participation, discounted resident tickets or minimum local performance quotas, and warned the LOI could favor commercial operators over community uses.
Councilors debated specific edits proposed by Sedona Cultural Park 2, including whether to keep Exhibit C (the site/bubble map), retain the phrase "fair market" when referencing revenue, and explicitly reference complementary uses such as public recreation. After discussion, council agreed to keep the exhibit in the packet but mark it as a working draft, to preserve language that the city would seek proposals that are revenue‑neutral to the city (no net cost), and to include a broad reference to complementary uses while leaving detailed operational requirements to a later RFP.
Vice Mayor Pete moved to approve the RFI and the amended LOI; the motion carried on a voice vote. Council members and staff stressed the RFI stage is informational and non‑binding: any future contract or lease would return to council for detailed review and a negotiated joint use approach.
Next steps: the RFI will be posted to solicit proposals and public responses will be synthesized by staff; council indicated it wants the RFI and LOI kept broadly inviting but clearer on community access, parking and fair‑market expectations before any binding commitments are made.
