The little town of Williams is known for being on Old Route 66 and close to the Grand Canyon. But soon it may have another attraction: an amusement park.
Some residents in this town of about 3,000 have been looking to add the attraction for more than a dozen years. Now, their dream is closer than ever after the Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved a special theme park district, the first in the state.
It allows an area in town to create its own tax to help back up financing. Williams Mayor John Moore said the park could cost $300-500 million to build, but added that the project could help breathe new life into the town.
"It’s going to make more income," he said. "It’s going to make more students, as far as schools, which will increase money for that. So, I’d like to think that we can have income and not change our quality of life."
The park would be built on a 475-acre parcel and would be close to a planned Arizona railroad history museum. A theme for the park is still up in the air.
