♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," HOME VALUES ARE DECREASING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS HOME SELLERS OUTNUMBER BUYERS BY A RECORD AMOUNT.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE IN TEMPE LOOKS TO BUILD A PIPELINE OF STUDENTS FROM PRE-K TO COLLEGE AND BEYOND.

>>> AND A NEW BOOK CELEBRATES THE HISTORY OF DUDE RANCHING.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

HOME VALUES IN THE PHOENIX METRO AREA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE DECREASED IN VALUE OVER THE PAST YEAR.

THIS, AS HOME SELLERS IN THE U.S.

OUTNUMBER HOMEBUYERS BY RECORD AMOUNTS.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME MARK STAPP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ASU'S REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TED: ACCORDING TO ZILLOW HERE.

87% OF HOMES IN PHOENIX LOST VALUE LAST YEAR.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> UH, NO.

I READ THE REPORT, AND I'M HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE DISSECTING WHY THAT SEEMS TO BE THE AMOUNT BECAUSE -- AND HERE'S WHY IT MAKES LITTLE SENSE TO ME.

IF YOU LOOK AT HOME PRICES OVER JUST THE PAST YEAR.

I THINK THERE'S 87% HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS I THINK IS WHAT THE TIME PERIOD WAS, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD A DECREASE IN THE PRICE OF A SALE OF A HOME, RIGHT, AVERAGE OR MEDIAN SALES PRICE OF HOMES, WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD THOSE LOSSES.

THEY CONTINUE TO GO UP.

LOOK AT THE AVERAGE SALES PRICE FROM NOVEMBER LAST YEAR TO NOVEMBER THIS YEAR.

THEY'RE UP ABOUT 2.7%, AND I THINK SOME OF THIS HAS DO WITH THE FACT THAT BUYERS HAVE BEEN USED TO RAPIDLY -- MORE RAPIDLY INCREASING PRICE IN HOMES.

AND THEY CAN'T GET THOSE PRICES.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT LISTINGS, AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LISTING PRICE ON AVERAGE AND THE SALES PRICE ON AVERAGE, IT'S REALLY BIG.

TED: AND THE LAG THERE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS HOW LONG THESE HOMES ON THE MARKET, AGAIN, ZILLOW NATIONWIDE IS SAYING OVER THE PAST YEAR, OVER HALF OF U.S.

HOMES HAVE LOST THEIR VALUE, AND PARTICULARLY SO HERE IN THE WEST.

>> YEAH, I DON'T SEE THAT HERE.

AND I THINK ANYBODY WHO'S IN THIS HOUSING MARKET SEES IT'S SOFTENED GREATLY.

IT IS NOT THAT IT HASN'T SOFTENED, IT HAS.

I DON'T SEE THEM LOSING VALUE.

I SEE A LOT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THE INABILITY TO GET THE VALUE THAT PEOPLE WANT, YOU SEE LISTINGS BEING PULLED OFF THE MARKETPLACE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT I DON'T SEE US LOSING VALUE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THE UNDERLYING ECONOMICS THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT.

SO DAYS ON MARKET -- >> YES?

>> THAT'S UP AT 84 DAYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON AVERAGE.

IT'S NOT HORRIBLE.

OUR INVENTORY IS ABOUT 4.6 MONTHS OF INVENTORY.

WELL, THAT IS UP A TINY BIT, NOT UP A LOT.

IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S AN OVERSUPPLY AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF DEMAND BECAUSE OF OUR GROWTH.

TED: AND AGAIN, THE SAME SURVEY SAID THAT HOME VALUES ARE UP 67% SINCE THE PROPERTY LAST SOLD, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS PROPERTY BEING LAST SOLD A LONG TIME AGO BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T SELLING LIKE THEY USED TO, CORRECT?

>> YES, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

THE HOUSING MARKET, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTRY, AND EVEN YOU LOOK IN PHOENIX, RIGHT, IT'S HARD TO MAKE CATEGORICAL STATEMENTS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY FACTORS THAT AFFECT MARKETS AND SUBMARKETS.

AREAS WITHIN METROPOLITAN PHOENIX MAY BE FUNCTIONING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER AREAS, AND SO IT'S HARD TO MAKE THESE BLANKET STATEMENTS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THESE KIND OF ARTICLES THAT COME OUT, HOME PRICES, IT MAKES PEOPLE BELIEVE THE MARKET IS CRASHING.

THAT'S PATENTLY NOT TRUE.

TED: OOTS NOT CRASHING BUT SOFTENING.

>> VERY SOFTENED.

TED: WE GOT THAT THERE.

DOES IT ALSO REFLECT THE PRICE SURGES WE SAW?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

TED: WHEN YOU GET UP THAT HIGH, IF YOU DROP DOWN THE LITTLEST BIT -- >> SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, PEOPLE BUY AT THE PEAK, RIGHT?

AND THINGS START TO SOFTEN.

OVER THE LAST YEAR, THAT AVERAGE SALES PRICE HAS GONE UP 2.7%.

SO THAT'S A SMALL INCREASE, BUT IT IS NOT A DECREASE.

WHEN YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY BACK OVER FIVE YEARS IN METRO PHOENIX, YOU SEE THE SAME PACE, IT WAS MORE RAPIDLY GROWING, HOWEVER, LEADING UP TO THE LAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REPORT, FALLING PRICES IN APACHE JUNCTION, WE'RE SEEING IN WICKENBERG, NORTH SCOTTSDALE, CENTRAL MESA, SOUTH CENTRAL PHOENIX AND INCREASING PRICES IN CENTRAL AND NORTH PHOENIX.

WHAT IS THAT TELLING YOU?

>> SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LOWER END OF THE MARKETPLACE AND YOU SEE THIS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE IN THE MEDIAN, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE SALES PRICE AND THE MEDIAN SALES PRICE IS VERY BIG, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE MARKET IS SKEWED TO THE HIGH-END, AND SO WHAT I THINK IS HAPPENING IS YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE MARKETS YOU JUST MENTIONED, AND SOME OF THEM MAY NOT BE THE HIGHEST END.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY.

TED: RIGHT.

>> BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT LOWER END OF THE MARKET, $450,000 BELOW, AROUND THERE, IT'S FAIRLY CONSISTENT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HIGH-END, IT JUMPED UP WAY MY AND CONTINUE TO PUSH PRICES UP.

THAT SOFTENED A WHOLE BUNCH.

$707,000 AVERAGE NEW LISTING AND DROPPED DOWN SUBSTANTIALLY TO AN AVERAGE SALES PRICE, WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY BELOW THAT.

AND SO YOU SEE THIS BID ASK DIFFERENCE, AND PEOPLE ARE ASKING THESE THINGS, THEY'RE NOT GETTING THEM.

TED: WITH THAT IN MIND, LAST QUESTION HERE, WHAT DO WE WATCH FOR?

WHAT IS SOMEONE THINKING OF BUYING A HOME, THINKING OF SELLING A HOME OWNERSING ABOUT THINKING ABOUT DOING EITHER OR, WHAT DO THEY WATCH FOR?

>> FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO SELL, RIGHT, AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO BECAUSE FINDING THE REPLACEMENT PROPERTY, THERE'S MORE BUYERS AND OR SELLERS, THE INVENTORY IS VERY TIGHT, AND NOT A WIDE VARIETY OF INVENTORY.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT YOU MAY BE TRADING DOLLARS BECAUSE WHAT YOU SELL YOUR HOUSE FOR, YOU MAY HAVE TO BE PAYING SAME.

YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE AMENITIES YOU WANT.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THE MARKET IS TIGHTENED IS PEOPLE AREN'T FINDING WHAT THEY WANT, THEY'RE DECIDING TO AGE AND PLACE MORE OFTEN, IT'S CHEAPER FOR THEM TO STAY IN THEIR HOME, AND SO I THINK WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO BE LOOKING FOR IS REALITY.

ARE YOU ABLE TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE WHAT YOU'RE HOPING TO ACHIEVE BY SELLING YOUR HOME AND MOVING?

TED: AND REALITY AS TO WHEN TO MAKE THE DECISION, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE?

>> YES, YOU DON'T HAVE CHEAP MORTGAGE MONEY ANYMORE.

TED: YEAH.

>> IF YOU, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IF YOU HAD ACHIEVED A MORTGAGE THAT WAS MUCH LOWER IN INTEREST RATE, DO YOU WANT TO GET RID OF IT?

TED: RIGHT, RIGHT.

MARK STAPP, ASU ECONOMIST, OUR REAL ESTATE GO-TO GUY.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> ALWAYS MY PLEASURE.

.

TED: TEMPE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE WORKING WITH ASU AND THE CITY OF TEMPE ON A NEW INITIATIVE CALLED THRIVE IN TEMPE.

THE PROGRAM'S GOAL IS TO BETTER CONNECT FAMILIES WITH SCHOOL AND CITY RESOURCES TO HELP BUILD A PIPELINE OF STUDENTS FROM PRE-K TO Ph.D.S.

JOINING US IS TEMPE MAYOR COREY WOODS AND TEMPE HIGH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DR.

STACIA WILSON.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

TED: MAYOR, START WITH YOU, THRIVE IN TEMPE.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

>> THE FACT IS EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER TO RECOGNIZE THAT EDUCATION IS A CRITICAL PRIORITY IN THE CITY OF TEMPE LIKE IT IS ACROSS THE VALLEY.

I TELL PEOPLE THE STORY ALL THE TIME.

MY MOTHER WAS A 30-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER IN NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WHEN WE MOVED TO NEW YORK, SHE TOLD THE REALTOR TWO THINKS SHE WANTED IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD.

ONE, THE CITY HAD TO BE MAINTAINING THE PARKS.

TWO, WHAT WAS THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM?

IF EITHER WASN'T FUNCTIONING, SHE WOULD TELL THE REALTOR TO DRIVE TO THE NEXT TOWN.

WHEN I WAS SEVEN OR EIGHT, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

AS A 47-YEAR-OLD MAN I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.

IT'S CRITICAL TO HAVE A THRIVING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN TEMPE AND GLAD OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE COME TOGETHER AND RECOGNIZING HOW BIG OF A PRIORITY THIS IS.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE, CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES AND THESE THINGS IN ORDER TO THRIVE IN TEMPE.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

HOW DO YOU GET ALONG?

HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?

>> WELL, IT'S BEEN AMAZING.

WE COME TOGETHER QUARTERLY IN THE SCHOOL, DIFFERENT FOUR QUARTERS.

WE COME TOGETHER QUARTERLY AND TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONAL MODELS WE'RE LOOKING AT.

STAFFING THINGS, INNOVATIVE WAYS TO HAVE LEARNING HAPPENING IN CLASSROOMS AND LOOKING AT RESOURCES AND HOW WE CAN BEST SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, AND REALLY JUST PROVIDING A SEAMLESS PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS, PRE-K THROUGH 12, AND THEIR EDUCATION, SO THEY'RE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER POST-SECONDARY EXPERIENCE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.

TED: WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION IS COLLECTED, AND HOW IS IT SHARED?

>> WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT FOLKS COMING TOGETHER BY AREA, SO YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE EXPERTS IN LEARNING AND INSTRUCTION AND SOMETIMES IT'S LOOKING AT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE K-8 SYSTEM, AND HOW THAT FEEDS INTO THE PROGRAMS AND THE HIGH SCHOOL AND HELPS PREPARE THEM FOR THAT, AND THEN AS THEY GO INTO THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT STAFFING NEEDS FOR PROGRAMS, AND THEN REALLY WITH THRIVE IN TEMPE, WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT.

TEMPE HAD A LONG HISTORY OF HAVING A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE IN ITS SCHOOLS, AND A HUGE COMMITMENT BY THE CITY TO SUPPORT THAT AND NURTURE THAT, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN A CHOICE FOR OUR FAMILIES WITHIN THE CITY OF TEMPE, BUT THEN WE KNOW THAT THE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED AND WE'D LIKE OTHERS TO CHOOSE TEMPE ELEMENTARY, KYRENE ELEMENTARY AND TEMPE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.

TED: BUSINESSES INVOLVED, COMMUNITY INVOLVED, THE CITY OF TEMPE, THAT'S YOU, THE INVOLVEMENT, WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE, WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE AND NEED TO SEE OUT OF THIS?

>> THE BIGGEST THING IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT.

QUITE CANDIDLY, I LOVE THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE AS SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE DIRECT SAY OVER OUR DISTRICTS, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE SUPERINTENDENTS, AND THEY HAVE DULY ELECTED GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS, IT REALLY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE A THRIVING ECONOMY IN THE CITY, AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, WHENEVER I'M TALKING TO BUSINESSES THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THEIR EXISTING OPERATIONS AND HIRING MORE PEOPLE OR BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO LOCATE IN THE CITY OF TEMPE, THE FIRST THING THEY ASK ME ABOUT IS WHAT'S THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND FOR THOSE THAT MADE THE DECISION TO LOCATE HERE, THEY MANY TIMES TELL ME THE REASON THEY DID IS BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, SO IT IS CRITICAL, IF NOT THE NUMBER ONE THING WE HAVE TO COLLECTIVELY FOCUS ON.

TED: WITH THAT IN MIND, BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN TEMPE, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM THEM?

HOW DO THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE INITIATIVE?

>> THEY ARE ALREADY VERY MUCH BOUGHT INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CITY, AND WHAT I WOULD ASK THEM TO DO IS GET AHOLD OF THE PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THIS WHETHER IT'S THE CITY OF TEMPE OR TEMPE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY OR PARTNERS.

I WOULD ASK IF THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.

LOTS OF PARTNERS LEAD WITHOUT STRETCHED ARMS AND ASK THEM TO CONTRIBUTE IN WHATEVER WAY THEY FEEL THEY CAN DO BEST.

TED: CAN YOU TALK ABOUT CONNECTING STUDENTS TO TEACHERS, TEACHERS TO SCHOOLS, ADMINISTRATORS AND FAMILIES TO THE PEOPLE.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE IDEA IS TO CONNECT, CORRECT?

>> IT TRULY IS.

WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH FAMILIES, AND SO THERE IS THE EFFORT BY SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS TO REALLY BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

CONNECT WITH FAMILIES.

HELP THEM REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND GROW AND THRIVE IN TEMPE.

WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO TO OUR THRIVE IN TEMPE WEBSITE TO CHECK US OUT, AS THIS IS ENROLLMENT SEASON AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SCHOOLS.

>> SIMILAR TO WHAT I ASKED THE MAYOR HERE.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR KNOWING THIS IS WORKING?

IS THERE A WAY TO MEASURE?

IS THERE ACCOUNTABILITY HERE?

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

>> THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN LOOK AT QUANTITATIVE PIECE.

THE FEEDBACK WE GET FROM FAMILIES AND AMAZING ALUMNI WHO COME BACK AND WANT TO LIVE IN TEMPE AND BUILD FAMILIES IN TEMPE AND WORK IN TEMPE.

>> Reporter: ARE THOSE THE METRICS YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH, LOOK AT ALL THE SUCCESS, THERE YOU GO?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I'M IN THE KIND OF JOB, IF SOMETHING IS NOT GOING WELL, PEOPLE WILL MOST CERTAINLY LET ME BEEN IT.

WE HAVE THE QUANTITATIVE DATA TO PROVE THE PROGRAMS ARE SUCCESSFUL BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S A LOT OF WHAT I HEAR ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS WALKING DOWN THE STREET IN DOWNTOWN TEMPE OR GOING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT OR ARTS IN THE PARKS EVENT.

WE HEAR WHAT THEY FEEL IS WORKING AND ISN'T.

WHAT WE CAN TELL PEOPLE IS WORKING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL IS FRANKLY THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FROM PRE-K THROUGH COLLEGE.

TED: ALL RIGHT, MAYOR COREY WOODS AND STACIA WILSON, TEMPE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: A NEW BOOK CELEBRATES THE LONG HISTORY OF DUDE RANCHING AND THE 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DUDE RANCHERS ASSOCIATION.

BOOK IS TITLED "100 YEARS OF DUDE RANCHING."

A PHOTO-DRIVEN, COFFEE TABLE BOOK CELEBRATING ALL THINGS DUDE RANCHING.

JOINING ME IS RUSSELL TRUE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE DUDE RANCH ASSOCIATION.

YOU ARE ALL OVER DUDE RANCH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS.

>> LET'S GET STARTED.

WHAT IS A DUDE RANCH?

>> YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS, MINE IS SIMPLY A PLACE THAT BRINGS GUESTS ONTO A RANCH, AND THAT CAN RUN THE GAMUT FROM EAT, SLEEP, RIDE HORSES TO RESORT-LIKE PLACES.

>> WHAT DO DUDES DO ON A DUDE RANCH?

>> KIND OF DEPENDS ON THAT SPECIFIC RANCH.

SOME ARE CATTLE RANCHES THAT EMBRACE TOURISTS WHO COME IN AND DO THE CATTLE RANCH WORK WITH THEM, BUILD THE FENCE, FIX THE WATERS, CHASE COWS.

OTHERS HAVE TENNIS AND SPAS AND CUISINE.

TED: REALLY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

FIVE-STAR PLACES.

TED: FOR WORKING RANCHES THAT ARE DUDE RANCHES, DO THE DUDES GET IN THE WAY?

DO YOU WANT TO SHOOSH THEM.

WE HAVE BUSINESS TO DO HERE?

>> WE DON'T OPERATE A RANCH LIKE THAT.

SOME ARE THE BEST HELP EVER, AND OTHERS ARE GETTING IN THEIR OWN WAY.

TED: ALL RIGHT.

HOW LONG HAS DUDE RANCHING BEEN AROUND?

>> DUDE RANCHING HAS PROBABLY BEEN AROUND, HISTORY SAYS EATON'S RANCH WAS THE FIRST, CUSTARD TRAIL IN THE DAKOTA TERRITORY, AND THE FIRST SIGNED GUEST WAS 1892, AND THEN TURN OF THE CENTURY REALLY EXPLODED AS WE CALLED THE INDUSTRY, BUT IT'S A MICROSEGMENT OF AN INDUSTRY, AND THEY REALLY TOOK OFF, SO DUDE RANCH ASSOCIATION WAS FORMED IN 1926 TO PROMOTE AND MANAGE THIS GROWING HOSPITALITY SEGMENT.

TED: THUS 100 YEARS AND THE BOOK CELEBRATING THE 100 YEARS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

WAS IT A LOT OF EASTERN FOLKS WANTING TO GET OUT AND BE A COWBOY FOR A WEEK?

IS THAT WHAT WAS GOING ON?

>> MEANING THE GUESTS?

>> YEAH.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

EARLY ON, YOU HAD TO COME BY TRAIN AND TAKE A STAGE OR A HORSE OR A WAGON OUT TO THE RANCH, AND SO THEY WEREN'T ONE WEEK OR WEEKEND TRIPS.

THESE CAME FOR THE SUMMER OR THE SEASON OR COULD SHARE THE SEASON.

CIRCLE Z, THEY HAD THE PRIVATE RAIL CARS PARKED IN PATAGONIA.

DUDE RANCHING WAS FOR THE ELITE.

PEOPLE WHO HAD THE TIME AND THE MONEY AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS TO TAKE THIS GREAT ADVENTURE.

TED: AND DUDE RANCH, THE GOVERNING BODY THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING 100 YEARS, THAT HAD TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THE THING WAS EXPLODING, WASN'T IT?

>> YES, IN THAT ERA IT WAS EXPLODEING.

>> HOW DID THAT CHANGE THINGS?

>> I THINK IT CHANGED THE WEST.

AND WE'RE SUCH A TINY LITTLE BUSINESS, BUT WE WERE THE FIRST DESTINATION VACATION IN THE WEST, AND HERE WE'RE COMING ALL THE FAMILIES WE KNOW OF, THE ROOSEVELTS, ROCKEFELLERS, VANDERBILTS, COMING OUT, SENDING KIDS, BRINGING FAMILIES AND SOME OF THEM STUCK, AND THEY ENDED UP CHANGING THE WEST.

TED: ISN'T THAT INTERESTING IN.

ARIZONA, HOW MANY DUDE RANCHES DO WE HAVE NOW?

HAS IT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

>> YEAH, IN FRANK BLAINE NORRIS'S MASTERPIECES THERE WERE 338 IN ARIZONA HE IDENTIFIED.

WE'RE DOWN TO 14, 15.

TED: WOW!

WHAT HAPPENED?

>> LOTS OF THINGS, BUT TUCSON HAD 127.

IT WAS THE DUDE RANCH CAPITAL IN THE WORLD.

AND TUCSON EXPLODED AND RAN OVER THEM.

PHOENIX DIDN'T HAVE ANY THAT MADE IT TO THE 80s, SO A LOT OF IT WAS URBAN GROWTH, AND IT'S A TOUGH BUSINESS MODEL, AND NOW WE HAVE THESE RISING REAL ESTATE VALUES IN THE RURAL WEST, AND SOME OF THEM JUST GET BOUGHT.

TED: SO THERE'S STILL A THREAT FOR DUDE RANCHES.

>> THAT'S IN MY VIEW, THE BIGGEST THREAT TODAY IS THE VALUES.

>> 100 YEARS OF THE ASSOCIATION, CELEBRATES ALL THINGS DUDE RANCHING.

>> RIGHT.

TED: WHAT DO YOU WANT FOLKS TO TAKE FROM THE BOOK?

A WAY TO LOOK BACK?

LOOK FORWARD?

WHAT DO YOU GOT HERE?

>> I'M A HISTORY GUY.

MY BUSINESS PARTNER DID A COUPLE DUDE RANCH HISTORY BOOKS, AND HE SAID DUDE RANCHING IS BIGGER AND WE NEED A BETTER BOOK.

TO TAKE THE OPERATIONS FROM 26 OPERATING TODAY AND 20 TODAY, WE HAVE HISTORIC PHOTOS AND JAY RECRUITED SCOTT BAXTER, NOTED ARIZONA PHOTOGRAPHER, WHO PUT TOGETHER THE MODERN PHOTOGRAPHY TO SORT OF COMPARE WITH THE OLD.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, AND I NOTICED OUR FRIEND BOB DID THE FOREWORD THERE.

>> LYNN DOWNEY TOOK THESE?

SHE WROTE THE HISTORY, CORRECT?

>> SCOTT BAXTER, 100 YEARS, 100 RANCHES PHOTOGRAPHER, DID ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHY, TRAVELED TO THE RANCHES AND LYNN DOWNEY WROTE THE COPY FOR THE BOOK.

TED: YEAH.

DO YOU THINK IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET THE HISTORY BECAUSE FOLKS BACK IN THE DAY WERE LOSING SOME OF THOSE FOLKS?

THAT FIRST PERSON KNOWLEDGE OF THE WAY DUDE RANCHING WAS IN THE PAST?

>> YEAH, IT'S SCARY, WE JUST LOST ONE TODAY, AND I'M STARTING TO BE AN OLD TIMER AND I DON'T RELISH THE NAME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE US WHO ARE GREAT RANCHERS, IT'S THE EVOLUTION.

TED: WE DO A LOT OF PUBLIC POLICY ON THIS PROGRAM.

IF YOU WERE -- WANT SOMETHING AS FAR AS PUBLIC POLICY IS CONCERNED TO KEEP DUDE RANCHING ALIVE, TO PROMOTE DUDE RANCHING AND HAVE IT EXPAND, MAYBE NOT THE WAY IT ONCE WAS BUT MORE THAN IT IS NOW.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT DONE?

>> I THINK PROPERTY TAXES CAN BE AN ISSUE FOR DUDE RANCHES.

THEY DON'T GET THE AG STATUS THE SAME.

THERE'S BEEN SOME EFFORTS BUT IT'S NOT QUITE THERE, AND THE STATE TOURISM, AOT, THEY KNOW ABOUT US AND THEY WORK REAL HARD.

IF THE STATE SUPPORTED AOT MORE, THEY WOULD HELP US MORE.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, WELL CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK AND CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT RANCHING CAREER.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: GOOD TO HAVE YOU UP HERE, RUSSELL TRUE, THE DUDE RANCH FOUNDATION CHAIR, THE COFFEE TABLE BOOK AND A HALF, I TELL YOU, IT'S SOMETHING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.