Tourists decry decision to close Lost Dutchman State Park

[SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN]

Winter visitors who spend weeks, if not months, at the iconic Lost Dutchman State Park don't understand why Arizona would sacrifice tourism revenue to cut the $3.2 billion state deficit anticipated in the coming fiscal year. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/01/21/20100121mr-lostpark0122.html

 

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[Cubfan64]

What a real shame!!!! I've camped there for the last 3 years on each of my visits to the Superstitions. I have to budget carefully in order to afford to come out there and enjoy hiking and exploring and have always looked forward to the proximity LDSP has to the mountains and taken advantage of it.

These comments from the articles really stick in my head....

Lost Dutchman, the state's eighth most popular park and the closest to the East Valley, lost $9,545 in fiscal year 2008-2009.

Stephen Filipowicz, Apache Junction's economic development director, said the Arizona State Parks Department estimates that Lost Dutchman generates $4 million a year in tourism revenues each year.

Seems to me like there's a real disconnect here doesn't there? And this is the same government that keeps trying to convince the American public that they know what's best for us.

Very sad to hear.

 

[Oroblanco]

Sad to hear this. I have to wonder if this decision was really fully thought through - with the state park closed, won't that lead to more un-prepared tourists deciding to camp in the Wilderness Area, and more folks getting lost, hurt, deaths and tragedies? I hope they will change their decision.
Oroblanco

 

[SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN]

Apache Junction weighs annexation of Lost Dutchman http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/01/27/20100127parkclose0127.html Lost Dutchman State Park prepares to close http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/149947

 

[SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN]

STATE PARKS

For more information or to volunteer at Lost Dutchman State Park, call

(480) 982-4485; for a list of parks slated for closure visit azstateparks.com
"They are trying to drive a wooden stake into the heart of rural Arizona."

 

[SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN]

The park's closing is expected to cost """"Apache Junction"""" millions in tourism revenue.

 

[SGnAZ]

We were at the Superstition Museum on monday and overheard some snowbirds expressing their disapointment over the closing of the park.It's too bad,that was a nice place.

 

[Cubfan64]

I just don't get it!!!! The park supposedly had 90,000-100,000 visitors last year. I don't recall the cost to stay in the park (because it's so cheap!!!), so worse case scenario each visitor is part of a family of 4 (probably more like 2-3 on average)...

Now I'm not a math wiz, but it seems to me that just charging an additional $1 per "vehicle" would result in a surplus at the end of the year. My guess is that VERY FEW people would complain about that kind of a raise in price.

Like I said, I just don't get it!

 

[Springfield]

...Like I said, I just don't get it!

It's called incompetency at the decision-making level. If you want a more glaring example on a much larger level, tune into the dog and pony show from Washington DC tonight on TV.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

I'm not sure they are really losing money there, to tell you the truth. I think it may be "creative" budgeting totals.

Maybe, so that they could have people willing to pay more money to stay there - don't know.

It would be a disaster if AJ city spread its wings to take it over - you can expect the environmentalists stepping in to "help" them - you know what happens with that scenerio.

I'm curious - though - if it is closed for more than a year, it is actually SUPPOSED to revert to BLM land - with all the rights that come with that, no more park, per say, but it should be re-opened to mining claims.

I don't know, but, to tell you the truth, something smells bad here.

When something happens that completely doesn't make sense to us - its usually because somebody is getting something somewhere that we don't know about. So - does this closing actually made any real sense?

Here comes the Sierrra Club, the Nature's Conservancy (especially them) all those other environmental groups. They've got money..........................

B

 

[djui5]

It's called incompetency at the decision-making level.

Yep. The loss of $$ from the park is what I would like to call "bad management". It really can't cost THAT much to maintain the park. Then they forgot all the revenue the park attendees bring to the local economy. They people don't just pay to camp there and that's it, they spend a LOT of money elsewhere. This is going to hit the ghost town and the museum really hard IMO.

Assholes.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Djui5,

Exactly - Apache Junction will suffer badly - and I'll take bets that Goldfield probably will, too. (though maybe not as much as AJ)

B

 

[djui5]

Yep. We'll see I guess.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Well, there is always letters to those that have to have your vote to continue their journey in politics, too.


B

 

[Cubfan64]

It's called incompetency at the decision-making level.

Yep. The loss of $$ from the park is what I would like to call "bad management". It really can't cost THAT much to maintain the park. Then they forgot all the revenue the park attendees bring to the local economy. They people don't just pay to camp there and that's it, they spend a LOT of money elsewhere. This is going to hit the ghost town and the museum really hard IMO.

--deleted--s.

Randy,

I was thinking the same thing about Goldfield and the museum. Hopefully some of the folks on those boards will be able to pull a few strings and see if there's some way to keep it open.

 

[djui5]

Randy,

I was thinking the same thing about Goldfield and the museum. Hopefully some of the folks on those boards will be able to pull a few strings and see if there's some way to keep it open.

I'd like to hope for that, but it would be a hell of a fight.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Well, I did write to the PLP - that's a start.

It wouldn't hurt if PLP knew others were concerned, since they file their own suits on our behalf.

jerhobbs2@aol.com

Thats the head of PLP's email address.

If anyone doesn't know who they are, PLP stands for "Public Land for the People"

This is one organization that I do give money to - they have done alot for people like us. In fact, go to their site, and you will see how they are trying to fight the California dredge fiasco.

They have 2 sites PLP1 annd PLP2.

For general information: http://www.plp2.org/

If you want to see their forum or join, or, if you want to see the current things they are fighting: http://plp1.org/currentnewsevents.html

On the second site, click on "Fight for you Rights", and you will see their efforts for the California dredgers.

B



B

 

[djui5]

e-mail sent, thanks B.

 

[boogeyman]

Yep. We'll see I guess.

Yeah we'll see after Phoenix lays off 100 more cops Does that mean Phoenix PD will show up 1 or 2 hours after you call for a shooting or burglar instead of the usual 20 - 25 minutes? Or is that after they lay off all the parks people, neighborhood services, & building inspectors (102 in three layoffs). Check it out, hardly any of the higher ups flying the desks swilling coffee for 8 hours got the axe. Phoenix & most of the state is so top heavy it's pathetic. Probably would be a really good thing if LD state park reverted back to BLM.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

I put this information in the other forum, but, I will add it here.

The president of PLP emailed me today, and gave me a private phone number to call, and asked me to call tomorrow - they had not heard of the situation.

So, I will talk to him tomorrow, and generally give him what is happening.

I will update with any info I get.

Beth