Arizona lawmakers agree to workaround for $15 million in Prescott rodeo funding

Arizona’s new budget includes a $15 million do-over for the Prescott rodeo.

A judge in May ruled that a two-year-old appropriation to Prescott Frontier Days, Inc. — the nonprofit that runs the “World’s Oldest Rodeo” — violated the state constitution.

So state lawmakers agreed in June to reallocate those funds, this time directly to the city of Prescott.

Deputy City Manager Michael Morris says officials are in the process of identifying priorities to upgrade the rodeo’s nearly 100-year-old infrastructure.

“More than likely the infrastructure, the water, the sewer, stormwater, restroom capacity,” Morris said. “Those will probably be at the front of the list more than likely, just because you can’t do anything else without those.”

Morris acknowledged the full cost for repairs is likely to exceed the funding allocated by the state.

But he says it’s a worthwhile investment for the eight-day rodeo that’s a part of Prescott’s brand and culture.

“It attracts between 4,500 and 5,000 people each performance, and there’s eight performances, so it has a significant economic impact and tourism impact,” Morris said.