An ongoing lawsuit is challenging more than $15 million in funds that lawmakers set aside for the Prescott rodeo. New and now-sealed legal filings obtained by Capitol Media Services show a potential contradiction to the State’s defense.
Challengers to a state budget item giving $15.3 million to the Prescott rodeo filed suit in June 2023 claiming the Arizona Constitution bans such spending.
The payment is allegedly in conflict with the state constitution’s gift clause, which bars government entities from giving money to private companies or people without direct benefits to taxpayers.
State officials argued they would seek a formal "request for information'' for this project before awarding any cash, as required by law, as they had planned to do for the International Dark Sky Discovery Center in Fountain Hills.
New evidence shows the treasurer's office approved $10 million for the dark sky project before proposals were sent, seemingly undermining the state’s legal argument about the rodeo.
