Giant Tent for Scottsdale Classic Car Auction
Published September 13th, 2005
The $2 million multiuse facility is being pieced together as part of a project intended, in part, to help retain the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction.
Craig Jackson, the auction’s president, “wanted more depth and that’s why he was constantly talking about maybe going to Glendale, where the (Arizona Cardinals) stadium or the (Glendale) Arena maybe had that,” said Brad Gessner, West-World general manager.
Emblazoned with a giant U.S. flag on its roof, the facility is 315 feet wide by 380 feet long — 119,700 square feet of space. Scottsdale purchased the massive structure from Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, Calif. It was shipped in pieces to Scottsdale on trucks.
Work to reassemble it should be completed by month’s end, Gessner said.
“It all disassembles, like Tinkertoys almost,” he said.
The city is negotiating with Jackson for a long-term contract to keep the auction, Scottsdale’s most lucrative event, at WestWorld.
Jackson has in the past talked with Glendale and the Gila River Indian Community about relocating the auction.
Scottsdale looked to purchase the tent-like structure to meet Jackson’s needs as plans to upgrade WestWorld with other new facilities are drawn up.
