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RICK: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," HAMAS RELEASES THE 20 REMAINING LIVING HOSTAGES TO ISRAEL AS WORLD LEADERS SIGN A GAZA CEASE-FIRE DEAL.

>>> THE BLACK CHAMBER RELEASES A REPORT ON LOCAL BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES.

>>> AND HOW THE SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS IS CELEBRATING ITS ANNIVERSARY?

THOSE STORE EAR AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M RICK DEBRUHL, FILLING IN FOR TED SIMONS.

A MICROBURST HIT TEMPE BLOWING DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES AND BLOCKING ACCESS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY NEAR THE ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX SAYS MICROBURSTS CAN HAVE WINDS THAT CAN REACH OVER 100 MILES PER HOUR, AND CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A MICROBURST THAT HIT TEMPE.

SOME AREAS GOT UP TO HALF INCH OF RAIN WITHIN 10 MINUTES CAUSING FLASH FLOODING CONCERNS.

BECAUSE THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED, THE STORM BLEW A SHED ONTO THE ROAD IN PHOENIX AND SNAPPED NUMEROUS PALO VERDE TREES IN THE AREA.

SALT RIVER PROJECT REPORTED 20,000 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER IN THE EAST VALLEY.

THE STORM WAS MOVING INTO CAREFREE AND THE YAVAPAI COUNTY AREAS AND BY THE AIRING OF THE SHOW, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS EXPECTING SKIES TO CLEAR UP.

>>> TODAY THE 20 REMAINING LIVING HOSTAGES WERE RELEASED BY HAMAS, THE HOSTAGES SPENT MORE THAN TWO YEARS IN CAPTIVITY IN GAZA AND THE RELEASE COMES AS PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OTHER WORLD LEADERS SIGNED A GAZA CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT.

FOR MORE ON THE ISSUE, WE WELCOME EVELYN FARKAS OF THE McCAIN INSTITUTE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, RICK.

RICK: HOW DID THIS ONE HAPPEN?

WHY IS IT AFTER ALL THE ATTEMPTS TO PULL OFF A CEASE-FIRE, TO PULL OFF PEACE, WE FINALLY HAD IT HAPPEN NOW?

>> I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP FINALLY DECIDED TO USE ALL OF THE UNITED STATES' COLLECTIVE POWER, ECONOMIC, DIPLOMAT, MILITARY POWER AND TURN IT INTO INFLUENCE, AND HOW DID HE DO THAT?

BASICALLY TOLD PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU IT WAS UNACCEPTABLE THAT HE BOMBED THE SAFE AREA, THE SAFE HAVEN THAT THE HAMAS LEADERSHIP HAS IN DOHA.

HE WAS SO ANGRY AT THAT, HE TOLD NETANYAHU HE HAD REACHED THE END OF HIS ROAD AND HAD TO ACCEPT THE CEASE-FIRE AND MAKE A DEAL.

SO PRESIDENT TRUMP ESSENTIALLY SAID I MEAN IT THIS TIME.

RICK: AND I GUESS I GO BACK TO THE POINT OF OKAY, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OTHER TIMES WHERE HE SAID I MEAN, THIS BUT THIS ONE STUCK.

WHY?

>> WELL, A COUPLE OTHER REASONS.

I THINK THAT HAMAS WAS SUFFICIENTLY WEAKENED.

THE GULF STATES CLEARLY DID THINK THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP MEANT IT THIS TIME, THAT REALLY THEY COULD ALSO PUT PRESSURE ON HAMAS.

THEY PROBABLY STARTED WORRYING ABOUT WHAT ISRAEL MIGHT DO IN THE FUTURE.

ISRAEL HAD TO GIVE A GUARANTEE THEY WOULDN'T STRIKE AGAIN IN QATAR BUT CLEARLY THE GULF STATES WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE CONFLICT SPENG OUT OF CONTROL.

YOU HAVE THE GULF STATES PUTTING PRESSURE ON HAMAS AND PRESIDENT TRUMP PUTTING PRESSURE ON NETANYAHU, AND YOU HAVE AT LEAST THE MAKINGS OF A CEASE-FIRE.

WE'LL SEE IF ALL THIS PRESSURE CAN BE SUSTAINED, AND WHETHER WE CAN GET TO AN ULTIMATE PEACE AGREEMENT.

RICK: WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN IN THIS?

>> WELL, YOU SAW THERE WAS A BIG MEETING TODAY, AND I THINK THAT WAS AN ACHIEVEMENT IN AND OF ITSELF, PRESIDENT TRUMP GETTING TOGETHER IN EGYPT WITH THE HEADS OF STATES, ESSENTIALLY PUTTING THEIR FACES AND THEIR SIGNATURES ON A COMMITMENT TO BRING PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST, TO BRING SECURITY TO ISRAEL AND THE ISRAELI PEOPLE, AND ALSO TO THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

IT WAS, OF COURSE, RESTRICTED, YOU KNOW, IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, MOSTLY TO GAZA.

THOUGH THEY TALKED ABOUT A FUTURE FOR THE MIDDLE EAST, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF STEPS, RICK, THAT ARE REQUIRED.

FIRST OF ALL, TO KEEP THE CEASE-FIRE, THE ISRAELIS HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE BACKWARDS, SO TO GIVE BACK TERRITORY.

THERE'S A QUESTION OF WHO ARE THEY GIVING THE TERRITORY BACK TO BECAUSE THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE INTERIM INTERNATIONAL SECURITY FORCE THAT DOESN'T EXIST YET.

AT THE SAME TIME, HAMAS IS SUPPOSED TO LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS.

WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR THAT AND HAMAS HASN'T COMMITTED VERBALLY OR IN WRITING TO DOING THAT.

TWO HUGE STICKING POINTS LEAVING ASIDE THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T SEE A NATURAL PALESTINIAN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP EMERGING.

IN FACT, THE LEADER WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO HAVE THE GREATEST LEGITIMACY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND PROBABLY INTERNATIONALLY REMAINS IMPRISONED IN JAIL.

ISRAEL DID NOT LET HIM OUT.

I COULD KEEP GOING, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES THAT NEED TO BE NEGOTIATED, THERE'S ALSO MONEY FOR RECONSTRUCTION.

RICK: THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT ARAB LEADERS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES IN THAT REGION WHO WERE NOT PRESENT AT SIGNING TODAY.

ARE WE SUPPOSED TO READ SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT INTO THAT?

>> YES, FIRST OF ALL, NETANYAHU HIMSELF WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE AT ONE POINT.

BASED ON THE MEDIA REPORTING, SOME OF THE ARAB LEADERS SAID WE'RE NOT COMING, SO IRAQ, IN PARTICULAR, IF NETANYAHU COMES.

THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP THERE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

IT IS PREMATURE TO HAVE THEM THERE, THOUGH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S SUCH A HORRIBLE THING BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, FOR BOTH THE PALESTINIANS AND FOR THE ISRAELIS, THEY NEED TO HAVE A REAL CONCRETE AGREEMENT IN PLACE IN ORDER TO SIGN SOMETHING.

SO I THINK IT WASN'T BAD TO STAY AWAY.

IT FELT TO ME LIKE WHAT WE CALLED IN THE 90s, TRYING TO END THE BALKAN WARS, THE CONTACTS GROUP.

ALL THE COUNTRIES THAT HAD A STAKE IN THE PEACE AND THE WAR ENDING BUT NOT THE ACTUAL COMBATANTS.

RICK: WE HAVE SEEN PEACE DEALS BEFORE IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT ARE TRUMPETED VERY LOUDLY.

PEOPLE WIN NOBEL PRIZES OVER THEM AND THEN THEY FALL APART.

HOW LIKE SHE THIS ONE TO GO DOWN THAT PATH OR DOES THIS HAVE A GREATER STICKING POWER POTENTIALLY?

>> I MEAN, I THINK THE JURY'S OUT PROBABLY 50/50.

THIS IS A CEASE-FIRE, NOT A PEACE AGREEMENT EVEN THOUGH PRESIDENT TRUMP THROUGH THE FORCE OF HIS WORDS AND WILL IS TRYING TO HIS CREDIT, MAKE IT A PEACE AGREEMENT AND MAY END UP THAT WAY.

I THINK IF PRESIDENT TRUMP CONTINUES TO EXERT PRESSURE ON ISRAEL.

IF THE ARAB STATES CONTINUE TO EXERT PRESSURE ON HAMAS.

IF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TEAM IS COMMITTED AND WORKS ON THE DETAILS AND DO ALL THIS RELATIVELY QUICKLY RIGHT NOW WHILE HAMAS IS WEAK AND WHILE IRAN IS WEAK, THEN WE COULD SEE A REAL DURABLE PEACE AGREEMENT, BUT THEY HAVE TO MOVE FAST AND HAVE TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON.

RICK: YOU MENTIONED REBUILDING.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REBUILDING PROCESS.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY COMPLICATED IN SO MANY WAYS NOT THE LEAST OF, WHICH GOING TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE.

WHAT'S BEING PUT IN PLACE OR COULD BE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE THAT WORK?

>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY THEY NEED TO PUT ONE NATION PROBABLY IN CHARGE OF THE RECONSTRUCTION, AND HAVE MULTIPLE COUNTRIES OR SOME KIND OF ENTITY, AN INTERNATIONAL ENTITY AND HAVE COUNTRIES STEP UP AND SAY I PLEDGE X AMOUNT OF MONEY.

ALL THOSE LEADERS THAT WERE STANDING THERE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE GULF STATES, NEED TO PUT IN SOME MONEY.

THEY FRANKLY HAVE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB TAKING CARE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DECADES AND THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE DESERVE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY THEIR ARAB NEIGHBORS TO STEP UP AND PAY FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION.

IT WILL BE EXPENSIVE AND, OF COURSE, IT'S ONLY A FIRST STEP BECAUSE THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FATE OF THE PALESTINIANS OUTSIDE OF GAZA.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION AND ULTIMATELY CAN WE ESTABLISH A PALESTINIAN STATE SIDE-BY-SIDE NEXT TO THE STATE OF ISRAEL?

RICK: AND FROM THE ISRAELI PERSPECTIVE, I MEAN, SO OFTEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS YOU HAVE ROGUE GROUPS WITHIN THE PALESTINIAN WORLD THAT TAKES ACTION AGAINST THE ISRAELIS.

WILL THE ISRAELIS HAVE FAITH THERE WON'T BE ELEMENTS THAT TRY TO MAKE A STATEMENT, TRY TO MAKE A STAND?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, THEY'LL HAVE TO VERIFY EVERYTHING IN TERMS OF THE DISARMAMENT, AND, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE THEIR INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES, AND IF THERE'S A THREAT, THEY'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH WHOEVER THE SECURITY ENTITY IS IN GAZA TO MAKE SURE THEY ELIMINATE THE THREAT, BUT ISRAEL WON'T HAVE THE FREE HAND IN GAZA AS THEY HAVE IN ANY FUTURE AGREEMENT.

RICK: THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE HERE, WE'VE ACHIEVED THIS POINT, WHERE DO WE END UP A MONTH FROM NOW, SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, A YEAR FROM NOW?

EVELYN FARKAS FROM THE McCAIN INSTITUTE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU, RICK.

.

RICK: THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HERE IN ARIZONA IS AN ORGANIZATION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS THAT PROVIDES RESOURCES AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES.

A NEW REPORT SHOWS THAT THEIR MEMBERS SAW A $1.5 MILLION INCREASE IN SALES, AND CREATED MORE THAN 500 NEW JOBS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

JOINING US TONIGHT IS DR.

VELMA TRAYHAM, THE CEO OF THE BLACK CHAMBER OF ARIZONA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

RICK: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUMBERS.

WERE WE TRENDING UP?

TRENDING DOWN?

WERE WE FLAT BEFORE THE NUMBERS?

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE NUMBERS?

>> YEAH, I THINK THE NUMBERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

WE WERE FLAT, THERE IS AN INCREASE.

ESPECIALLY WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S AN INCREASE.

RICK: IS THERE ONE PARTICULAR AREA WE'RE SEEING THE INCREASES A PARTICULAR TYPE OF BUSINESS OR PRETTY WIDESPREAD?

>> WE'RE SEEING THE INCREASE IN THE AREA OF CONTRACTS WHERE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE GETTING ACCESS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.

IN THE SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES AS MANUFACTURING, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE SEEING REAL ESTATE, WE'RE SEEING HEALTH CARE COMPANIES THAT ARE REALLY THRIVING.

RICK: LET'S TALK PRESIDENT BLACK CHAMBER ITSELF.

HOW LONG IT'S BEEN AROUND.

YOU'VE BEEN THERE TWO YEARS?

>> YES, TWO YEARS.

RICK: WHAT'S THE FUNCTION?

>> THIS YEAR WE'RE CELEBRATING 27 YEARS OF ADVOCACY AND SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE.

I LIKE TO SAY THAT THE BLACK CHAMBER OF ARIZONA IS FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY, HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES GET ACCESS TO CONTRACTS, HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES GET ACCESS TO CAPITAL, AND THE RESOURCES TO SCALE AND GROW SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES.

RICK: YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN, THE DEI, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION PUT ON THE BACK STEP RIGHT NOW.

HAS THAT IMPACTED THE ORGANIZATION?

HAS IT IMPACTED YOUR MEMBERS?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THE DEI SPACE.

I ACKNOWLEDGE THERE ARE A LOT OF DEI ATTACKS OF THAT SORT.

IT'S IMPORTANT WE FOCUS ON HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES, HELPING ENTREPRENEURS TO BUILD COMPANIES THAT ARE SOLVING PROBLEMS.

AND WHEN YOU ARE SOLVING PROBLEMS, YOU'RE ADDING TO THE ECONOMY, AND IT'S NOT ABOUT DEI.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT.

SO I DO ACKNOWLEDGE IT HAS, THERE'S A LOT THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE ATTACK ON DE AND I, BUT TO KEEP IT VERY OPTIMISTIC, WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS FOCUSING ON GROWTH.

ECONOMIC IMPACT.

GROWING OUR ECONOMY BY HELPING THE SMALL BUSINESSES GROW, BECOME EMPLOYER FIRMS AND GET ACCESS TO WHAT'S NEEDED TO BE DISRUPTERS.

RICK: LET'S TALK ABOUT SUCCESS STORIES WITHIN THIS REPORT.

WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE.

GIVE ME A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF COMPANIES THAT HAVE DONE WELL DURING THE RECENT PERIOD?

>> YES, ONE OF OUR BUSINESSES A WOMAN OWNED TECHNOLOGY FIRM, SHE WENT THROUGH OUR IMPACT AZ PROGRAM, AND SHE IS RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT $5 MILLION IN CONTRACTS.

SECURED HER FIRST BIG CONTRACT THROUGH THE NFL, WHERE SHE'S CREATING AN INNOVATIVE APP ARE IF THE NFL.

THAT'S AN EXAMPLE.

WE HAVE SEVERAL EXAMPLES.

ONE, WE HAVE A PROTECTION COMPANY, BATTLE PROTECTION AGENCY, HE'S 56 EMPLOYEES NOW, AND WORKING WITH A LOT OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMPANIES AS WELL, AND SO WE HAVE MANY, MANY STORIES LIKE THAT.

WE HAVE NONPROFIT FOUNDERS WHO ARE NOW GETTING GRANTS AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, STRUCTURE WITHIN THEIR BUSINESS, AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE GROWTH OF THESE BUSINESSES, IT'S REALLY GIVING THEM THE RESOURCES TO SCALE, GROW, AND TO BE SUSTAINABLE REGARDLESS OF THE ECONOMIC OR THE POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN.

RICK: ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

IS THIS A TREND?

DO YOU SEE THIS CONTINUING ON THIS DIRECTION?

ARE THERE STUMBLING BLOCKS ON THE WAY?

VERY BRIEFLY?

>> I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE SOME GROWTH.

IF WE FOCUS ON SOLVING PROBLEMS.

RICK: ONCE AGAIN, BUILDING GOOD COMPANIES.

>> BUILDING GOOD COMPANIES.

>> DR.

VELMA TRAYHAM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

.

RICK: THE SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IS CELEBRATING ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY, CELEBRATIONS INCLUDE A CONCERT AND THE DEBUT OF A NEW ART EXHIBIT.

HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVITIES IS DR.

GERD WUESTEMANN PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SCOTTSDALE ARTS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

RICK: GIVE US HISTORY, HOW DID SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE ARTS BEGIN 50 YEARS AGO?

>> A REMARKABLE STORY.

THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE INCORPORATED 1951, IN 1967 FORMED THE FIRST ARTS COUNCIL AND IN 1963 PERFORMED FIRST SCULPTURE BY FAMED SCULPTIST LUIS MENDELSON.

THE CITY OPENED TO FANFARE, ONE OF THE FINEST VENUES IN THE SOUTHWEST IN ITS DAY, AND I THINK IT SHOWS THE EXTRAORDINARY COMMITMENT TO CREATIVITY IN A CITY AS YOUNG AS SCOTTSDALE.

THE CITY WAS 24 YEARS OLD WHEN THE CENTER OPENED.

AND IT HAS UNDERGONE VARIOUS TRANSFORMATIONS INCLUDING BEAUTIFUL RENOVATION OF THE MAIN THEATER IN 2008 AND 2009.

IN THE ORIGINS A PLACE NOT ONLY FOR PERFORMING ARTS AND BEAUTIFUL THEATER BUT THE LARGE-SCALE ATRIUM IN THE CENTER, SERVED AS EXHIBIT SPACE FOR MANY, MANY FINE ARTS EXHIBITS OVER THE FIRST TWO DECADES OF LIFE.

RICK: HAS IT BEEN SMOOTH RUNNING ALL THESE YEARS?

HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY OR ONE GREAT SUCCESS STORY?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND PROBABLY THERE ARE NUANCED ANSWERS TO BE HAD.

IN THE FIRST 20 YEARS OF LIFE, THE CENTER WAS A BEAK OFTEN WHERE CUTTING EDGE ART WAS TO BE SEEN IN ARIZONA AND THE VALLEY AND THE SOUTHWEST.

GREAT ARTISTS SUCH AS ELLA FITZGERALD, SARAH VAUGHN, WYNTON MARSALIS, GREAT ORCHESTRAS AND YO-YO MA AND JOHN ARMSTRONG IN ITS EARLY YEARS.

THERE WERE AMAZING ARTS EXHIBITS IN THIS CASUAL MAKESHIFT EXHIBIT SPACE THAT IS NOW OUR ATRIUM.

BUT I THINK WHEN WE HIT THE 90s AND EARLY 2000S, WE STARTED TO SEE FIRST OF ALL A REMARKABLE PROLIFERATION OF OTHER VENUES ACROSS THE VALLEY, TEMPE, MESA, CHANDLER BUILDING GREAT VENUES AND OUR ORGANIZATION, SCOTTSDALE ARTS WHICH MANAGES THIS ENTIRE THING, THE CENTER ONE IS OF OUR SEVEN BUSINESS UNITS, OUR ORGANIZATION BECAME OLD SCHOOL, MORE SNOWBIRDCENTRIC, WE WERE NOT PUSHING THE ENVELOPE AS MUCH AS WE NEEDED TO.

WHEN I ARRIVED SEVEN AND A BIT YEARS AGO, I THINK ONE OF THE KEY CHARGES WAS TO FIND NEW AUDIENCES AND DEVELOP A NEW PATH FORWARD TO TURN AROUND AND BRING THE ARTS BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST A FEW BUT A BROAD RANGE OF PEOPLE, AND CERTAINLY AN EXCITING TIME TO DO JUST THAT.

RICK: IF SOMEBODY HASN'T BEEN TO THE SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN A DECADE, TEN YEARS AGO, WHAT IS THE EXPERIENCE THEY'RE GOING TO GET TODAY IS THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN A DECADE AGO?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK IT WILL BE A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY FOR MOST ANYBODY.

COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO PASS THE BOND ISSUE IN 2019, WHEN I ARRIVED, WE WANTED TO REINVENT THE SPACES AND DO SOMETHING COMMUNITY-CENTRIC, PHOENIX, THE VALLEY IS A CASUAL PLACE, IT'S ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE AND WHITE TABLECLOTH DINING.

IN THE ARTS, NO RAINOUTS OCTOBER THROUGH MAY, EXCEPT OF COURSE TODAY, NOTWITHSTANDING, BUT SO WE WERE FORTUNATE TO PASS A BOND AND BUILD THIS 30 ACRE THEATER TO OUR MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS.

IT BECAME A FULL ARTS CAMPUS THAT WE CAN FULLY ENGAGE PEOPLE IN.

AND THE ARTS EDUCATION FOR ALL GENERATIONS, LIFE LONG LEARNING, WORK ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY AND COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SENIOR CENTERS, AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER MAGNIFICENT EVENTS LIKE DREAMY DRAW FESTIVAL WHICH BRINGS A VERY YOUNG DEMOGRAPHIC INTO OUR FOLD.

TODAY CAN YOU PARK YOUR CAR, HAVE A BITE OF LUNCH, DO SHOPPING IN OLD TOWN OR GO TO FASHION SQUARE FOR HIGH-END SHOPPING, PERHAPS HAVE A DRINK, SEE A SHOW, HAVE A LATE NIGHT BITE AND SPENT THE ENTIRE DAY IN THIS BEAUTIFUL ARTS ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS A SPECIAL THING.

RICK: HOW HAS THIS ALL BEEN FUNDED?

YOU MENTIONED THE BOND PASSING.

WAS THAT ALL OF IT OR HOW ELSE HAS IT BEEN FUNDED?

>> WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THE LAST FEW YEARS TO RECEIVE VERY LARGE SCALE GIFTS AND SET ASIDE $13 MILLION FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.

THE BOND PAID FOR THE BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR CAMPUS, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY IS UNIQUE, SCOTTSDALE ARTS IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WE VERY MUCH ARE EARNING AND RAISING MONEY ALL THE TIME, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP, A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE.

A CONTRACT TO MANAGE THE CULTURAL FACILITIES AND BE THE CULTURAL STEWARD, SO TO SPEAK.

WE DO EVERYTHING FROM CARING FOR SMALL ORGANIZATIONS, MAKING GRANTS AND INVITING OTHERS AND SUPPORTING THEM.

WITH ALL THAT SAID, WE'RE LAUNCHING A COUPLE OF NEW THEATERS INTO THE FUTURE TO CELEBRATE THE NEXT 50 YEARS, IT'S BEEN A GREAT TIME.

RICK: YOU SAID YOU HAVE SEVEN DIFFERENT FACILITIES, CORRECT?

>> SEVEN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE ORGANIZATION.

RICK: LAUNCHING TWO MORE?

>> LAUNCHING TWO MORE FACILITIES.

WE HAVE A SMALL THEATER IN THE CENTER, IT IS STUCK IN THE 70s WITH CARPETING ON THE WALLS.

WE ARE CONVERTING IT INTO A BLACK BOX THEATER, INSTRUMENTAL THEATER PLACE, GREAT FOR MASTER CLASSES TO SMALLER EVENTS AND WE'RE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING EXPANDING THE BUILDING A SMALL JEWEL BOX-LIKE 300 SEAT, 250, 300 SEAT THEATER WITH GREAT ACOUSTICES TO HAVE A FULL OFFERING FROM EXPERIMENTAL BLACK BOX TO SMALL TO A LARGE HALL.

RICK: TALK ABOUT THE RANGE OF PROGRAMS THAT COME THROUGH THERE, FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER, GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES.

>> THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THE CENTER STOOD FOR DIVERSE PROGRAMIG AND THINK CLASSICAL, MUSIC, JAZZ WERE ALWAYS THE MAIN SPACE.

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE ADDED CONTEMPORARY DANCE TO THAT.

WE COMMISSIONED A PIECE WITH A JAZZ FROM ANTONIO SANCHEZ, IF YOU SAW THE MOVIE BIRD MAN, HE WAS THE SOUND TRACK FOR THE MOVIE.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE HIM PERFORM THE SOUND TRACK LIVE AS WELL.

IT'S THOSE COLLABORATIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TODAY THAT ARE EXCITING.

NOVEMBER 1 WE CELEBRATE THE 50th ANNIVERSARY WITH INCREDIBLE THEATER, ALISON KRAUSS, UNION STATION, HELPING CELEBRATE THE TIME BACK THROUGH THE 1975 OPENING, SHE'S GOING TO COVER A COUPLE OF ROGER MILLER SONGS AND AN ABSOLUTE SUPERSTAR, 27-TIME GRAMMY WINNER, AND HIGHLIGHTS RANGE FROM GREAT JAZZ ARTISTS LIKE TROMBONE SHORTY TO GREAT COMEDIENNES LIKE FRAN LIEBOWITZ AND REEDA RUDNER AND MODERN DANCE AND CLASSICAL AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN.

RICK: GROWN IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE NOT ONLY IN THE REALM BUT THE ARTISTS YOU HOST.

>> THE BEAUTY OF SCOTTSDALE ARTS WHEN ALL THE PARTS COME TOGETHER IT MAKES MORE THAN THE SUM OF PARTS.

WE CAN SERVE EVERY PART OF CULTURAL LIFE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

MOST OF OUR OFFERINGS ARE FREE TO THE COMMUNITY, THE EXPANSION OF CIVIL SERVICES LIKE PARKS AND RECFOR THE SOUL, AND IT'S A REAL PRIVILEGE TO BE PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

RICK: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, DR.

GERD WUESTEMANN, I GOT TO READ IT RIGHT, I TOOK GERMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE 50th ANNIVERSARY.

>> THANKS.

>> THAT WILL DO IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "ARIZONA HORIZON."

TED SIMONS WILL BE BACK HERE TOMORROW.