At its meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 22, the Sedona City Council will discuss purchasing the derelict Sedona Cultural Park and issuing $10.2 million worth of bonds secured by the city’s excise tax revenues to cover part of the cost — all within the next three weeks.

The park, which covers 41 acres and contains a 5,500-seat amphitheater, opened in 2000 and hosted several big-name concerts before closing due to poor financial management in September 2003.

The City Council has repeatedly resisted attempts by a succession of owners to have the park rezoned in order to prevent its redevelopment as a resort or subdivision.

In January 2022, council members began considering a city purchase of the site to enable its redevelopment as low-income housing.

South Dakota owner Michael Tennyson and the city have agreed on a purchase price of $20 million. If the council approves the purchase, the closing date will be Thursday, Dec. 8. City staff anticipate that an additional $200,000 in short-term improvements to the property will be required during 2023.

The city will be able to terminate the agreement prior to the closing date if due diligence shows the property to be unsatisfactory for its needs.

Currently, the council’s agenda has allotted 45 minutes to discussion of the bond issue and 15 minutes to discussion of the $20 million Cultural Park purchase.

This meeting will take place before three newly elected members of the city council, Brian Fultz, Pete Furman and Melissa Dunn, can take their seats on Monday, Nov. 28.

Sedona residents are encouraged to attend the council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, at 4:30 p.m. at the Sedona City Council chambers, located at 102 Roadrunner Drive, to comment on the proposed purchase.