Bryson says too late to plan full rodeo; Bull Bash should move forward

With the management of the Camp Verde Equestrian Center turned over to the town following Camp Verde Arena Association’s requirement to vacate the property on March 31, the future of the Fort Verde Days rodeo event is in question.

During its special session on July 29, Town Council discussed the feasibility of having a rodeo this year, along with two proposals to manage it — one from CVAA andthe other from Bryson Productions, owned and operated by Tanner Bryson, who was elected to Town Council in the July 21 primary.

“I think it’s too late in the calendar to make a successful event at thistime,” Bryson said during public comment.

“So, Bryson Productions — I really want to withdraw any proposal to do anything at this point. I think the town should get behind the Bull Bash and make it as good as an event as possible.”

The Bull Bash, which the Yavapai-Apache Nation and Cliff Castle Casino run annually, predates the formerly CVAA-run rodeo.

“But I think the fact that we’re still romantically engaged with CVAA is not the right path,” the incoming town councilman said.

The Fort Verde Days celebration itself is not in question; the event is scheduled this year for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 and 11. However, during its special session on July 29, Council discussed the feasibility of having a rodeo style event during the celebrations.

Historically, the rodeo has taken place over the course of the October weekend, and last year, it started the Friday night before.

Bryson’s election results will be canvassed and he will receive a certificate of the election win during the Wednesday, Aug. 5, council meeting. The automatic runoff between incumbent Councilwoman Robin Godwin and former Councilwoman Jackie Baker — separated by eight votes —will begin shortly afterward, with results expected around Wednesday, Aug. 12.

Winners will be sworn into office during one of the November council meetings.

CVAA

The JOURNAL reported the town canceled CVAA’s former lease on Dec. 3, citing a lack of financial transparency and related concerns surrounding the Gift Clause in the Arizona State Constitution, which states the town cannot ever give, donate or grant credit or monies to an association without receiving a certifiable benefit, service or product in return for taxpayers. The CVAA declined the town’s offer of a new lease.

The proposal CVAA submitted to run this year’s rodeo stated the organization would return its equipment, including bleachers.

“In exchange,” Mayor Marie Moore said during the July 29 meeting, “CVAA requests the following: The right to host 20 events annually at the equestrian center with CVAA selecting the events, the ability to retain 100% of the revenue generated from those events, a guaranteed opportunity to host the annual Fort Verde Days Rodeo, permission to sell alcoholic beverages and operate the concession stand during its events, authority to manage event operations while the town would continue to oversee vendor coordination, excluding event sponsors who would receive complimentary access.”

Mary Phelps, the CVAA president, said using the arena for events requires audio systems, panels, arena management tools and heavy machinery that the organization already has.

The town announced it had trademarked the Fort Verde Days Rodeo, which Phelps said was disingenuous to CVAA considering it bore the cost to revive the rodeo six years ago.

“Purchasing or trademarking the name without consulting the funding group violates basic goodwill and community trust,” Phelps said. “We hope that … CVAA remains the heart of this event. … Every Fort Verde Days Rodeo buckle has CVAA logo on it, and we want to continue putting on Fort Verde Days Rodeo.”

Arena Commission

Previously, council discussed whether the arena should have its own commission to make recommendations to council or a subcommittee of the parks and recreation committee, which would have fewer administrative requirements, but was ultimately turned down because of the scale of the equestrian center.

Moore said there would be no vote on whether to go with a proposal during the July 29 special meeting, and will not move forward with CVAA’s proposal at this time. The commission, once established, will make its recommendation before a final vote on any future proposal.

“I appreciate that they [CVAA] still want to be involved,” Councilwoman Jessie Murdoch said, “but I think right now we’re still trying just to iron things out. … I think moving forward with the proposal presented to us tonight would be disingenuine of the hopes and aspirations I think a commission could fulfill.”

A commission will act like any other, such as Parks & Recreation or Planning & Zoning. It will collect community opinion through public comment and use any expertise the members have to make recommendations to the council.

Dee Jenkins, outgoing Republican District 2 Yavapai County Supervisor and former Camp Verde mayor, passed out a sheet she wrote on the commission to council members. The sheet included a mission statement and what she wanted to see out of the commission, including setting economic goals along with recreation and entertainment.

“I believe that economic benefit is a piece of this, but not the whole piece,” she said, “and that the there’s responsibilities associated with the commission. … I don’t think we have an expectation, or at least I don’t, that all activities out there are going to make money. Fort Verde Days — we do that because it’s the right thing to do for our community, they support that.”

Staff were directed to bring finalized founding documents for the commission, including applications for members, to the council meeting Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Following that meeting, assuming everything is formally approved, applications to the commission will be opened.