Arizona State Parks: Press Room

ARIZONA STATE PARKS: For Immediate Release
Managing and conserving Arizona’s natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of the people, both in our Parks and through our Partners. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Bilbrey at (602) 542-1996 or (602) 228-8518, or Monica Enriquez at (602) 542-6997. Contact by Email: pio(at)azstateparks.gov

Arizona State Parks Department Facing Budget Crisis

(Phoenix, AZ - January 12, 2010) - In December the Arizona State Parks department's budget was reduced by $8.6 million during the 5th Special Session of the Legislature. In response to sweeps from six conservation funds used to operate and maintain State/county/local parks and other conservation programs, the Parks Board is scheduled to meet Friday to look for solutions to keep as many of the State Parks open as possible.

Staff are offering the State Parks Board solutions that potentially could keep some Parks open because they recognize the $266 million crisis for rural economies if the system is dismantled. "The State Parks system offers 27 destinations for 2.3 million tourists a year to travel into these rural communities as the system was envisioned by the Legislature in 1957 when the agency was created," said Reese Woodling the State Parks Board Chair. "State and National Parks are the tourism draws for visitors from around the world and any interruption in service causes dramatic impacts on the leisure economies, including impacting more than 3,000 leisure jobs in rural Arizona. Thankfully, the rural community leaders are quite concerned and are offering other partnership solutions that might help in the short term to keep their State Parks open," he said.

"The staff's recommendations include a phased closing of State Parks based on costs to operate and how much revenue a State Park can generate back into the parks operating revolving funds. We have a financial crisis both in cash flow and revenue and need to solve these financial issues immediately. Our gate fee funds, conservation funds and donations were so severely swept that now we have an imminent cash flow crisis and a downward spiral in the very revenues that we desperately need to keep the system operating," says Executive Director Renée Bahl.

The Arizona State Parks Board will meet on Friday, January 15 starting at 10am at the Stonehouse Pavilion of the Phoenix Zoo (455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix). The meeting is open to the public and the Agenda/Board recommendations are posted at http://azstateparks.com/board.

For more information about the 27 State Parks, statewide hiking opportunities, off-highway vehicle trails, and other outdoor recreational and cultural opportunities in Arizona, call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free 800-285-3703) or visit AZStateParks.com. Follow us on twitter.com/AZStateParks.

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