The Sedona Airport is moving forward with plans to redevelop the former Masonic Lodge property on Airport Mesa.
On Aug. 6, the Sedona-Oak Creek Airport Authority’s Board of Directors authorized Airport Manager Ed Rose to begin lease negotiations with Harrell Cooley LLC, a hospitality development company whose managing members live in Sedona.
Rose told the board that Harrell Cooley LLC’s proposal scored highest among four bidders.
In a presentation to the board, the company outlined a plan to transform the old Masonic Lodge property into a corporate event space tentatively called Venue on The Mesa. As part of the proposed features, they are considering amenities such as event venues in Flagstaff, catering to various event needs and preferences. For the best event venues, check out these new york corporate event venues. One proposed feature is the inclusion of a good service such as coffee cart hire Sydney, providing attendees with premium coffee options to enhance their event experience.
The company envisions 6,400 square feet of “fully updated and modernized event space” designed by Phoenix architect Christoph Kaiser. The venue would also include 2 acres of “outdoor gathering space,” including a large deck wrapping around the northwest sides of the building, and a customizable outdoor amphitheater.
“This project will help satisfy the growing demand for indoor/outdoor event locations that can accommodate large group sizes while still delivering Sedona’s unforgettable scenery,” the company wrote in its proposal.
In a second phase three years in, the partners propose adding 4,000 square feet of “covered outdoor dining space” housing a chef-developed restaurant.
Partners Erick Harrell, Matthew Cooley and Olivia Laux emphasized their local connections. Harrell’s company Harrell Destinations owns Destination at Oak Creek, Canyon Wren and Don Hoel’s Cabins. Cooley and Laux’s events company Cloth and Flame manages events for Orchard Canyon and Junipine Resort, according to the proposal.
Harrell and Cooley said they are both private pilots.
During the presentation, the company said The Venue might reduce environmental impacts from unauthorized, “impromptu” events in Sedona, among other community benefits, including jobs, capturing corporate business from other cities, and “layers of meaningful community and cultural benefit” from having an additional gathering space.
The company is requesting a 25-year lease from the airport with three 5-year renewal options. A deal would need final approval from the SOCAA board and Yavapai County Board of Supervisors.
The land is currently designated Community Facilities in the Sedona Land Development Code. Neither Harrell Cooley nor airport officials were sure at the meeting what kind of permitting or land use change the project might need and who would be required to give it — Yavapai County or the city of Sedona.
Rose said Sedona Economic Development Manager Molly Spangler provided input on proposals during the RFP process.
