Old Tucson Studios, the 300-acre movie-set-turned-theme-park that Pima County owns outright, is headed toward a leadership change. County Administrator Jan Lesher has outlined six strategic priorities for the property's future in a memo to the Board of Supervisors, after current operator American Heritage Railways opted not to renew its lease, which expires in April 2027.
County Seeks Direction From Supervisors
Pima County is now seeking guidance from the Board of Supervisors on finding a new leaseholder for Old Tucson Studios, according to KGUN 9. Supervisors are scheduled to discuss the strategy at their November 10 meeting, where Lesher's memo reportedly asks the board to weigh the property's future vision, its community, cultural and educational benefit, and the operating model going forward. The county has been clear that it holds the real estate itself: Diane Frisch said, “We own the property and the buildings,” in a KJZZ interview.
American Heritage Railways, doing business as Old Tucson Entertainment, acquired the attraction in August 2022 and signed a five-year lease requiring $60,000 in annual rent plus 4% of gross operating revenue, the station's report notes. The former operator, Old Tucson Co., paid $64,000 a year to lease the land. Either way, the company declined to execute a 10-year extension option, and the operator informed the county that it would not extend its lease past next April.
Tourism Slump Looms Over the Decision
County officials have met with representatives of American Heritage Railways and are actively engaged in discussions about how they can move forward together, the station's report states. Options on the table include continuing to work with the current operator under a different arrangement, bringing in a new leaseholder, or combining several approaches — possibly with one leaseholder or a collection of them, per comments relayed to KJZZ.
The urgency stems partly from numbers that have not favored the park. Old Tucson recorded an 11% decline in visitors this year and is facing a shrinking tourism industry, according to Pima County figures cited by KOLD. The park has struggled since the pandemic, according to KOLD. Separately, a listing for the park's assets and operational lease described the current operational model as not profitable, while suggesting a new buyer could revamp the park, as reported by kgun9.com.
Competing Visions From Local Groups
A local group called Wild West Enterprise, also known as Save Old Tucson, is seeking to take over the lease and is one of several groups interested in acquiring it, according to the same KOLD report. The group says it has been working with Pima County to raise money, attract vendors and develop an operating plan modeled on the park's peak years, with ambitions to expand educational programming and bring back film festivals, horseback riding and movie production. Lowering ticket prices to make the park more accessible for Tucson families is also described as a priority for the group.
A different concept came from the Arizona Sonora Western Heritage Foundation, which discussed taking over the lease within six months and eventually assuming park operations, according to tucson.com. That proposal would push Old Tucson toward an educational mission rather than its current entertainment-first model. Meanwhile, county officials told KJZZ they've fielded a wide range of pitches for the broader property, including entertainment uses, a hotel, a casino, and astronomy- or food-related concepts — while ideas like a water park or a 16-story hotel were described as inappropriate for the site.
Adding another layer to the uncertainty, Old Tucson's assets and operational lease were separately listed for sale on BizBuySell with an asking price of $1.5 million, kgun9.com reported. County officials are also considering potential partners and leaseholders, according to KJZZ.
Old Tucson's Future Remains Uncertain
Old Tucson closed in August 2020, before a new operator took over. The attraction has been a filming site since 1939 and has appeared in hundreds of Western films and television shows over the decades on its sprawling grounds.
