By Kyle Simchuk | 12 News
Sedona voters have settled the future of the city’s long-debated Cultural Park, passing a ballot measure that keeps the property as public open space and leaves the door open to restoring its iconic outdoor amphitheater.
Unofficial results show Proposition 403 passed with 60.99% of the vote. The measure blocks residential development on the 41-acre property and dedicates the land to arts, culture, recreation and education instead.
It’s another victory for Sedona Cultural Park 2.0, the nonprofit pushing to revive a venue that once drew big-name artists like Willie Nelson, tony Bennett and Norah Jones.
Supporters say the vote clears one of the project’s biggest hurdles, freeing organizers to focus on fundraising, partnerships and long-term planning to get the amphitheater reopened.
“The people of Sedona have made it clear that they want this extraordinary public asset preserved for future generations,” said John Bradshaw, president of Sedona Cultural Park 2.0. “Now we have an opportunity to focus on restoring one of Arizona’s most remarkable outdoor performance venues in a way that benefits residents, visitors, local businesses and the state’s arts and tourism economy.”
The amphitheater has sat abandoned since the early 2000s. Supporters say it wasn’t a lack of audience interest that killed it; the original project collapsed after its construction loan was called, pushing the development into bankruptcy before the full Cultural Park vision could be built out.
