Phoenix Eyes Museum Buy

Phoenix will use $3.5 million of bond proceeds from a 2006 authorization to purchase the 92-acre site of the Pioneer Living History Museum from its new owners after being outbid for the property earlier this summer.

The City Council voted in July to spend $3.2 million of the bond funds for the land in an auction by the Arizona State Land Department, but Great Western Historical LLC outbid the city by $10,000.

Phoenix has been trying to buy the museum land for several years. Arizona’s largest city negotiated with the owner to purchase the site at the higher amount after failing to obtain it at the auction.

Voters approved $7.9 million of bonds for the acquisition of park land in 2006 as part of an $878.5 million general obligation bond package.

City Council member Thelda ­Williams said Phoenix will use $2 million of proceeds from the 2006 bonds to install a water supply line to the property.

The Pioneer Arizona Foundation has operated the museum since the early 1960s. It leased the land from the state for $40,000 a year.

The facility has been closed, but is scheduled to reopen next month.

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