♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

A FOCUS GROUP OF SWING VOTERS SHOWS INCREASING CONCERNS OVER TACTICS USED BY I.C.E.

AGENTS.

>>> IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR.

SPRING TRAINING IS UNDER WAY.

WE'LL TALK TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CACTUS LEAGUE.

>>> AND AN ICONIC WESTERN MUSEUM IN WICKENBERG IS EXPANDING AND GETTING A NEW NAME.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

A RECENT FOCUS GROUP OF OVER A DOZEN ARIZONA SWING VOTERS FOUND THAT THE ECONOMY REMAINS A TOP CONCERN BUT ACTIONS BY FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS WERE CONSIDERED A MORE PRESSING AND URGENT ISSUE.

THE FOCUS GROUP STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY ENGAGIOUS.

JOINING US IS THE PRESIDENT OF ENGAGIOUS AND THE MODERATOR OF THE SWING VOTER PROJECT RICH THAU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> GRADUATE TO BE HERE, TED.

TED: THIS IS A STUDY GROUP.

HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED HERE, AND WHAT WAS THE BREAKDOWN -- REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS?

>> THIS IS A FOCUS GROUP OF 90 MINUTES, VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN IN 2020 AND JUMPED TO DONALD TRUMP IN 2024.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE, FROM WHAT I READ, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET TO SOUND BITES, SOME SAMPLINGS BUT SOUNDS LIKE THE FOLKS WANT I.C.E.

DO THE JOB, NOT NECESSARILY THE JOB THEY'RE DOING.

>> THEY VERY MUCH WANT I.C.E.

TO DO A JOB.

THEY WANT TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE, BUT THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS OVERREACH BY I.C.E.

AND WANT I.C.E.

TO DIAL IT BACK.

TED: THIS WAS THE VAST CONSENSUS HERE?

>> IT WAS.

THERE WERE 14 PEOPLE IN TOTAL.

12 THOUGHT I.C.E.

WAS OVERREACHING, TWO THOUGHT I.C.E.

WAS DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY.

TED: INTERESTING.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE SAMPLING OF THE FOCUS GROUP.

THAT IS WHAT WE HEARD AND WHAT YOU HEARD REGARDING IMMIGRATION, NOT THE TOP CONCERN BUT THE MOST PRESSING AND URGENT CONCERN.

>> THEY ARE AFRAID TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING, WITH FEARS OF RUNNING INTO I.C.E.

BECAUSE I.C.E.

IS EVERYWHERE.

>> YOU CAN'T WORK ANYMORE.

AFRAID TO GO OUTSIDE.

>> MY GIRLFRIEND IS A TEACHER AT A PREDOMINANTLY HISPANIC SCHOOL, AND SHE'S AFRAID THEY'RE GOING TO COME ON CAMPUS.

>> I KNOW A BUNCH OF NIGERIANS AND I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND IT WAS LIKE, OH, YOU LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO WAS ILLEGAL.

IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE TO ALMOST CARRY YOUR PASSPORTS JUST IN CASE I LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO IS HERE ILLEGALLY.

TED: YEAH, RICH, AGGRESSIVE, OUT OF CONTROL.

THESE WERE WORDS USED AS WELL.

ANY OF THIS SURPRISE YOU?

>> WELL, WHAT WAS SURPRISING TO ME, WHAT HAPPENED, THIS MONTH WE TALKED TO PEOPLE IN ARIZONA AND FOUND THAT 9 OF THE 14 KNEW PEOPLE PERSONALLY, THE ONES THEY'RE DESCRIBING IN THE CLIPS YOU JUST PLAYED, AFFECTED BY I.C.E.

DIRECTLY.

I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION OF PENNSYLVANIA SWING VOTERS IN JANUARY.

ONLY TWO OUT OF 14 THERE KNEW ANYBODY PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY I.C.E.

THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU HAVE I.C.E.

PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOW THEY REACT VERSUS IT MORE OF AN ABSTRACTION OF THE PEOPLE IN PENNSYLVANIA I SPOKE TO A MONTH AGO.

>> THE FOLKS IN PENNSYLVANIA WERE THEY AS CONCERNED REGARDING I.C.E.

AS YOU HEARD FROM ARIZONA SWING VOTERS?

>> THEY WERE CONCERNED BUT NOT AS CONCERNED.

IT WASN'T AS IMMEDIATE AND PRESENT FOR THEM.

TED: AGAIN, DON'T WANT I.C.E.

ABOLISHED, DO WANT TO SEE I.C.E.

REFORMED?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

NONE OF THE RESPONDENTS, NONE OF THE 14 WANT TO SEE I.C.E.

ABOLISHED.

IF DEMOCRATS PUSH FOR ABOLISHES I.C.E., IT'S A COMPLETE NON-STARTER WITH THE SWING VOTERS IN NOVEMBER.

TED: THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE IS BIG HERE, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, NO SURPRISE THAT PEOPLE THAT KNOW PEOPLE, PEOPLE HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH I.C.E.

AGENTS BUT AS FAR AS THE ECONOMY IS CONCERNED, WE ALL HAVE CONTACT THERE.

AND THAT REMAINS NUMBER ONE, HUH?

>> IT'S NUMBER ONE BECAUSE IT AFFECTS PEOPLE DIRECTLY DAY BY DAY, AND A NUMBER ONE WORRY.

THE SWING VOTERS, MOST OF THEM TOLD US THEY THINK THE ECONOMY IS WORSE NOW THAN WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OVER LAST JANUARY.

IT'S AN ONGOING STRESS, THEY'RE STRESSED ABOUT HOUSING, STRESSED ABOUT GROCERIES, STRESSED ABOUT HEALTH CARE COSTS.

NAME IT AND THEY HAVE AN ECONOMIC ANXIETY ABOUT IT.

TED: LET'S GO AHEAD AND HEAR NOW WHAT YOU HEARD FROM THIS FOCUS GROUP HERE IN ARIZONA.

>> OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE UNAFFORDABLE THESE DAYS, THE THING I'M MOST TROUBLED ABOUT, BEING UNAFFORDABLE, IS WHAT?

>> I WOULD SAY HOUSING.

>> GROCERIES.

>> I THINK MAYBE HOUSING.

>> GROCERIES.

>> I'M GOING TO SAY GROCERIES, TOO.

>> GROCERIES.

>> HEALTH CARE.

>> GROCERIES.

>> HOUSING.

>> HOUSING.

>> HEALTH CARE.

>> TRANSPORTATION.

TED: RICH, AGAIN, COMPARE AND CONTRAST TO THE OTHER FOCUS GROUPS YOU'VE DONE AROUND THE COUNTRY?

>> VERY SIMILAR MONTH OVER MONTH, RIGHT?

HERE IN DIFFERENT SWING STATES IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU HEARD THERE, ONGOING WORRY THAT THE ECONOMY IS NOT WORKING FOR THEM, IT'S THE SAME THING THAT TOOK DOWN PRESIDENT BIDEN IS NOW A HUGE PROBLEM FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHICH IS THAT THEY -- INFLATION WOULD RAVAGE THEM STARTING IN 2021-22 AND THE ECONOMY HAS NOT RECOVERED AND IT IS AS VEXING FOR THEM NOW AS THE LAST THREE, FOUR YEARS.

TED: YET THE PRESIDENT, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE ADMINISTRATION, EVERYONE INVOLVED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO SAY THE ECONOMY HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER, PRICES ARE DOWN, STOCK MARKET IS UP, ET CETERA.

IS THAT MESSAGE NOT GETTING THROUGH TO SOME OF THE SWING VOTERS?

>> IT IS COMPLETELY TONE DEAF AS FAR AS THE SWING VOTERS ARE CONCERNED.

IT WAS TONE DEAF WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN TALKED ABOUT BIDENOMICS WORKING AND TONE DEAF WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THESE THINGS ARE AWESOME.

THEY'RE NOT FOR THESE PEOPLE.

THEY LIVE IT EVERY DAY.

YOU CAN'T CONVINCE THEM OF SOMETHING THAT ISN'T IN THE DAY TO DAY EXPERIENCE.

TED: WITH THAT IN MIND, MOST DISAPPROVE OF THE PRESIDENT'S JOB OVERALL?

>> 10% DISAPPROVE OVERALL, AND IT WAS TIED TO I.C.E.

AND THE ECONOMY.

>> I SAW WORDS LIKE DISJOINTED AND DISAPPOINTING AS FAR AS THE ADMINISTRATION'S ACTIONS ARE CONCERNED WITH THIS PARTICULAR FOCUS GROUP.

THAT'S WHAT YOU HEARD AS WELL, TRUE?

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

THEY VOTED FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP BECAUSE THEY WANTED HIM TO USE HIS BUSINESS ACUMEN TO MAKE THE ECONOMY BETTER AND THOUGHT THAT KAMALA HARRIS COULDN'T DO IT, HE COULD.

NOW THAT HE'S NOT, THEY'RE STRUGGLING.

TED: WHEN YOU DO THE FOCUS GROUPS, YOU WANT HARD METRICS AND HARD INFORMATION, WHEN YOU SEE THE FACES, WHEN YOU HEAR THE VOICES, WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF THAT?

>> I FEEL THE INTENSITY OF WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

POLLING HAS ITS PLACE.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING, WHY THEY FEEL IT AS OPPOSED TO HOW MANY.

I LIKE FEELING THE INTENSITY POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ECONOMY AND IMMIGRATION, THESE FOLKS ARE IN A VERY STRONG STATE OF DISAPPOINTMENT.

TED: THOSE THAT AREN'T DISAPPOINTED, THOSE THAT THINK THE PRESIDENT ISN'T DOING A GOOD JOB ON THE ECONOMY OR IMMIGRATION, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?

>> WELL, THEY'RE SAYING, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE ECONOMY, THEY'VE NOTICED THAT GAS PRICES HAVE CALMED DOWN.

THEY'RE THINKING THAT OTHER THINGS WILL ALSO GROP IN TERMS OF PRICING OR BE MORE AFFORDABLE GOING FORWARD.

WHEN IT COMES TO I.C.E., THEY PUT A PREMIUM ON GETTING PEOPLE WHO ENTER THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY OUT OF THE COUNTRY, SO THEY'RE NOT DRAWING THE SAME DISTINCTIONS AS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT HOW THE PRESIDENT IS DOING THINGS.

MOST OF THE DISAPPOINTMENT IS NOT THAT THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS HE SET FORTH, IT'S HOW HE'S GOING ABOUT IT, THESE PEOPLE FIND PROBLEMATIC.

TED: THESE ARE IMPORTANT PEOPLE, SWING VOTERS HERE.

YOU WOULD IMAGINE THEY WOULD BE PERHAPS MORE AMENABLE TO CHANGING AGAIN, WOULD YOU NOT?

>> WELL, I LIKE TO DESCRIBE THESE SWING VOTERS AS BEING IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF DISSATISFACTION.

SO IMAGINE PEOPLE WHO WENT FROM VOTING FROM OBAMA TO TRUMP OR TRUMP TO BIDEN ORRED BIEN TO TRUMP, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY SHIFTING ALLEGIANCES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND WHAT SATISFIES THEM.

SO THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF FRUSTRATION, AND SENSE IT MONTH OVER MONTH OVER MONTH.

I STARTED DOING THIS IN MARCH OF 2019.

I'M IN MY THIRD ITERATION OF THE SWING VOTERS AND THEY'RE DISSATISFIED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

TED: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

GOING BACK TO 2019 AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE SEEN, THE DISSATISFACTION WITH BIDEN TOWARD THE END OF THE ADMINISTRATION, AND THE BEGINNING OF TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION, IS IT SHARPE?

ARE PEOPLE WILLING -- IT'S SO EARLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION, WILLING TO GIVE IT A SHOT?

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

HOW DO YOU COMPARE?

>> I SAW IN PRESIDENT BIDEN HE WAS GENERALLY WELL RECEIVED THE FIRST FOUR, FIVE MONTHS AND YOU HAD AFGHANISTAN AND THE DELTA VARIANT WITH COVED AND NEVER RECOVERED WITH THE SWING VOTERS FOR THE FOLLOWING 3 1/2 YEARS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN ON THE DOWNSWING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE'LL BE ABLE TO RECOVER.

HE'S ADEPT MOVING PUBLIC OPINION HIS WAY.

KEEP IN MIND, THE PEOPLE I'M TALKING TO, THIS IS NOT AN I LOVE TRUMP AND I'M VOTING FOR HIM, THIS IS A LESSER OF TWO EVILS CHOICE.

IT WAS THAT WAY FOR BIDEN AND TRUMP, AND PEOPLE ARE NOT CUTTING POLITICIANS A HUGE AMOUNT OF SLACK.

TED: GREAT WORK.

RICH THAU FROM ENGAGIOUS, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE FOCUS GROUP STUDY AND THE RESULTS AND THE THOUGHTS.

VERY INTERESTING.

THANKS, SIR, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

.

TED: CACTUS LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING GAMES BEGIN THIS WEEK AS THEY GET THE SCHEDULE UNDER WAY.

SPRING TRAINING IS A BIG DEAL FOR BASEBALL FANS AND A BIG DEAL FOR THE STATE GENERATING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

BRIDGET BINSBACHER IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, TED, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TED: WE'RE ALWAYS MEETING UP THIS TIME OF YEAR.

>> EXCITING TIME OF YEAR.

TED: 15 FACILITIES, 15 TEAMS ALL IN THE PHOENIX METRO AREA.

>> WITHIN AN HOUR OF ONE ANOTHER.

TED: HOW BIG A DEAL IS THAT?

>> A HUGE DEAL.

LAST YEAR IT WAS A 764 MILLION DIRECT IMPACT DEAL, SO SIGNIFICANT.

AND OPENING DAY IS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20.

IT RUNS THROUGH MARCH 24.

SO IT'S FAST AND FURIOUS AND WE WELCOME 1.7 MILLION FANS THROUGH OUR GATES.

THESE 10 FACILITIES, AND IT JUST HAPPENS REALLY QUICK.

>> THE FACT IT'S IN THE PHOENIX METRO AREA, COMPARE TO THE GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE, THERE ARE LONG TRIPS.

>> YES, THERE ARE.

THE WAY WE'RE SET UP ACROSS THE VALLEY, YOU CAN GET FROM ONE OF OUR FACILITIES TO THE OTHER ON THE OPPOSITE END OF TOWN WITHIN AN HOUR, WHICH IS UNIQUE TO ARIZONA, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THIS ONLY HAPPENS TWO PLACES IN THE COUNTRY.

TED: YES.

>> AND IT'S SECOND TO NONE IN ARIZONA BECAUSE FANS CAN GO FROM A DAY GAME TO A NIGHT GAME, MULTIPLE FACILITIES.

WE KNOW THEY'RE COMING FOR FOUR NIGHTS ON AVERAGE AND SEEING MULTIPLE GAMES AND THEN VISITING ALL DIFFERENT AREAS WITHIN ARIZONA.

>> I WANT TO GET TO THAT IN A SECOND.

AS FAR AS COMPARING TO FLORIDA AND THE GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE THERE.

WAS COMPETITION FOR A WHILE, POACHING FOR A WHILE.

HAS THAT SETTLED DOWN?

>> IT'S SETTLED DOWN BUT WE CAN'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

WE ARE HERE TO REPRESENT THE BEST OF THE INDUSTRY AND SERVE AS A UNIFIED VOICE AND TELL THE STORY HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO ARIZONA'S ECONOMY.

WE DEFINITELY CAN'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

IT'S A VERY EXCESSTIVE INDUSTRY, AND YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY.

THERE'S BEEN TIMES WE'VE LOST TEAMS.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THAT SITUATION AGAIN.

SO THAT MEANS REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO ARIZONA AND PROTECTING IT.

TED: AND UNDERSTANDING WHO IS COMING HERE.

ESPECIALLY THE OUT-OF-STATE FOLKS COMING FOR SPRING TRAINING GAMES.

GIVE A BETTER INDICATION WHO THEY ARE.

FOUR DAYS THEY STAY, MAYBE?

>> ON AVERAGE, FOUR DAYS.

PARTY OF THREE TO FOUR, AND WE KNOW THEIR TEAM BRINGS THEM HERE.

THEY'RE FOLLOWING THEIR FAVORITE TEAM.

THEY'RE COMING AS A RESULT OF THAT, BUT THEY'RE VISITING OTHER AREAS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA AS WELL, AND SEEING MULTIPLE FACILITIES.

>> WHAT ARE THEY SEEING AS FAR AS THE ATTRACTION.

GRAND CANYON, DO THEY GO TO THE GRAND CANYON?

>> NORTHERN ARIZONA, NORTHEAST ARIZONA.

SOUTHERN ARIZONA, FROM ONE END OF THE STATE TO THE OTHER.

IT'S GREAT EXPOSURE.

ALSO FOR 2026, WE'RE GOING INTERNATIONAL.

SO WE'RE WELCOMING FIVE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC TEAMS.

THEY WON'T BE PLAYING WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC GAMES BUT TEAMS COMING, IN ADDITION TO THE U.S., REPRESENTING FIVE COUNTRIES.

TED: WHERE ARE THEY PRACTICEING?

>> PLAYING EXHIBITION GAMES DURING SPRING TRAINING.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR -- WE'RE GOING TO BE BASKING IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT AT THAT POINT, AND WELCOMING FANS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES SO.

THAT'S GOING TO MIX IT UP, GOING TO CHANGE THINGS UP A BIT.

TED: DOES IT CHANGE THINGS UP FOR YOU AND THE TEAMS AND FACILITIES?

.

>> THE BEAUTY OF OUR FACILITIES IS THAT'S WHERE THE REAL WORK IS DONE.

THEY'RE READY FOR BUSINESS.

THEY'RE READY TO WELCOME FANS NO MATTER WHAT, AND SO -- BUT, WE MIGHT SEE NEW FANS AND FANS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES COMING THAT WE DON'T SEE USUALLY, SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING, AND IT PUTS ARIZONA, YOU KNOW, ON A GLOBAL STAGE.

ADVERTISING WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY.

TED: WE'VE HAD A LOT OF WORLD SERIES WINNERS IN SPRING TRAINING.

LOT OF POSTSEASON SUCCESS.

YOU HAVE THE BEHEMOTH DODGERS.

IF YOU'RE A DIAMONDBACKS FAN, YOU THINK OF THEM ONE WAY.

IF YOU'RE A TOURISM FAN, THEY ARE HAPPY FROM CALIFORNIA, GOT TO BE HAPPY, GOT TO BE SPENDING.

>> THEY ARE.

THEY ARE.

THE LAST THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS WE'VE HAD CACTUS LEAGUE TEAMS AND ALWAYS ROOTING FOR CACTUS LEAGUE TEAM.

THE LAST TWO, OF COURSE, THE DODGERS, AND THEY DRAW ALREADY, BUT THE ENERGY COMING OFF THE REGULAR SEASON, IT SPILLS OVER INTO SPRING TRAINING, AND WE GET ON BENEFIT FROM THAT HERE IN ARIZONA.

>> I WOULD BE REMISS IF I'M NOT ASKED ABOUT THE WORK STOPPAGE WHICH COULD HAPPEN AT THE END OF THE SEASON AND COULD AFFECT -- CAN YOU PREPARE FOR THAT, IS THAT A MOVING GOALPOST?

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> WE'RE NOT PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HOPEFUL THEY'RE COMING TO A CONCLUSION IN PLENTY OF TIME SO IT DOESN'T AFFECT SPRING TRAINING.

WE'VE SEEN THAT WHETHER IT WAS A PANDEMIC OR PAST HISTORY, WE'RE READY WHEN WE NEED TO BE READY.

OUR FACILITIES ARE READY TO BE READY TO WELCOME FANS IN.

TED: LIKE THE REST OF US, YOU HAVE TO WATCH AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> YEAH.

TED: BRIDGET BINSBACHER, CACTUS LEAGUE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHERE DO YOU GET TICKETS?

>> CACTUS LEAGUE.COM, YOU CAN FIND YOUR FACILITY.

GO STRAIGHT TO THE FACILITY TO BUY TICKETS.

TED: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRIDGET.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> YOU, TOO.

.

TED: THE DESERT CABALLEROS WESTERN MUSEUM IN WICKENBERG HAS A NEW NAME, IT'S NOW THE SIGLER WESTERN MUSEUM.

A BIG EXPANSION INCLUDING A NEW FACILITY.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME IN THE MUSEUM'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DAN FINLEY.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

>> THANK YOU, TED.

YOU'RE TALKING TO THE HAPPIEST MUSEUM DIRECTOR IN ALL OF ARIZONA YOU.

>> BETTER BE!

TALK ABOUT THE SIGLER WESTERN MUSEUM.

I KNOW IT'S A BIG DEAL IN WICKENBERG.

FOR THE REST OF US WHO AREN'T AS FAMILIAR, WHAT IS IT?

>> THE SIGLER WESTERN MUSEUM IS THE PREDECESSOR TO WHAT WAS THE DESERT CABALLEROS WESTERN MUSEUM, HAD BEEN AROUND ALMOST 60 YEARS AND DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO EXPAND OUR BUILDING, THAT MEANT A BIG FUND-RAISING CAMPAIGN, SPECIFICALLY A BRAND-NEW ART MUSEUM AND, OF COURSE, RAISING MONEY, AND WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COUPLE STEP FORWARD WITH $20 MILLION GIFT TOWARD THAT PROJECT.

TED: HOLY SMOKES.

THEIR NAME IS SIGLER.

>> JACK AND KERRY SIGLER.

LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF WICKENBERG.

TED: THE CABALLEROS WESTERN MUSEUM HAD TO BE IMPORTANT TO YOU.

IT IS SOCIAL FABRIC.

>> MY GOODNESS.

WICKENBERG IS A COWBOY TOWN THROUGH AND THROUGH.

THE MUSEUM WAS AT THE HEART OF THAT CULTURE, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO GROW IT.

TED: AND THE SIGLERS ARE WICKENBERG RESIDENTS?

>> YES, THEY ARE.

JACK AND KERRY HAVE BEEN THERE 20 YEARS, RAISED THEIR FAMILY THERE.

JACK HAS RUN A MAJOR AIR CONDITIONING DISTRIBUTORSHIP IN THIS AREA FOR MANY YEARS, BUT NOW THROUGHOUT MANY STATES IN THE WEST.

TED: YEAH, AND 20 MILLION BUCKS?

>> YES.

TED: MY GOODNESS.

>> I CAN TELL YOU, I WAS THERE TO ASK FOR THE MONEY AND I LOOKED AT JACK IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND SAID JACK, WE'D LIKE YOU TO DO THIS.

HE LOOKED AT HIS LOVELY WIFE AND HE SAID, I THINK I'D LIKE TO DO THAT.

AND TED, IT DOESN'T TAKE TWO MINUTES TO DECIDE.

THIS DOESN'T GET ANY MORE BEAUTIFUL.

TED: NO WONDER YOU ARE A HAPPY MAN.

>> YES.

TED: LET'S TAUKZ ABOUT THE EXPANSION.

THIS IS A MUSEUM THAT EMPHASIZES WOMEN WESTERN ARTISTS?

>> YES, WE STARTED OUT AS OVERALL WESTERN HISTORY AND WESTERN ART, BUT WE HAVE GROWN THROUGH A MAJOR INITIATIVE WE DO EVERY YEAR, COWGIRL OUT, AND EXHIBITION AND SALE TO CELEBRATE AND PROMOTE THE WOMEN ARTISTS OF THE WEST.

BUT THEY'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN A LITTLE SHORT DRIFT OVER HISTORY.

WE HAVE THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF WESTERN WOMEN'S ART ANYWHERE, AND THE BUILDING WAS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE A NEW HOME FOR THAT BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO BE ON EQUAL FOOTING.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE NEW FACILITY, THIS IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE EXISTING FACILITY, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

IT'S NOW A CAMPUS.

TED: RIGHT.

IN DOWNTOWN WICKENBERG?

>> CORRECT.

TED: AND EXPANDED GALLERIES WILL BE INCLUDED?

>> RIGHT.

EXPANDED GALLERIES AND ART PAVILION THAT WILL BE MORE MULTIPURPOSE BASED, WE CAN HAVE BIG ART AND EXHIBITION AND SHOWS IN THERE, BUT IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL.

WE CAN HAVE DINNER PARTIES IN THERE, WE CAN HAVE MUSEUM, LECTURES, PROGRAMS, WHATEVER WE WANT AND A REAL ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY.

TED: SAME ARCHITECTURAL FIRM THAT DESIGNED SCOTTSDALE MUSEUM OF THE WEST.

>> STUDIO MA, WE'RE DELIGHTED TO PARTNER WITH THEM.

THEY DESIGNED THE BUILDING FOR US AS REAL PARTNERS TO US AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO PHOENIX PHILANTHROPY GROUP IN PHOENIX.

WE ARE VERY, VERY HAPPY WITH BOTH OF THEM.

>> THE FOLKS THAT WORKED ON ADDITIONS OF THE HEARD MUSEUM AND PHOENIX ART MUSEUM ARE ALL INVOLVED?

THEY'RE ALL INVOLVED.

IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.

GREAT FOR THE REGION.

GREAT FOR ARIZONA YOU.

>> MENTIONED COWGIRL IS A BIG EXHIBITION THERE.

WESTERN WOMEN ARTISTS.

DEFINE WESTERN ART.

>> THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION, BUT THERE'S TWO COMPONENTS OF IT.

ONE IS WESTERN ART IS A PLACE, A DEPICTION OF THE LANDSCAPES AND THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE WEST, BUT ALSO THE WESTERN SPIRIT THAT CAN BE REFLECTED IN THAT ART.

SO YOU PUT THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES WESTERN ART SPECIAL BECAUSE IT SPEAKS TO ALL THE VALUES AND ATTRIBUTES THAT REALLY MADE AMERICA GREAT.

TED: KEEPING A HERITAGE AND KEEPING A LIFESTYLE ALIVE, I WOULD IMAGINE.

>> EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING VERY, VERY HARD IN WICKENBERG WITH THE NEW PROJECT.

TED: I MENTIONED THE HEART AND SOUL OF WICKENBERG BEING THE DESERT CABALLEROS AND THE MUSEUM.

YOU MENTIONED IT IS THE HEART OF THE MUSEUM, RIGHT?

>> WE ARE REAL COWBOYS IN WICKENBERG.

TED: THE ART MUSEUM IS SUPPORTED BY THE VISITORS AND THE TOWN.

>> WE GET 30,000, 40,000 VISITORS A YEAR WITH THE CURRENT BUILDING.

WE'RE HOPING IT WILL GROW.

TED: WHAT KIND OF TIME LINE ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE?

>> CONSTRUCTION BEGINS IN ABOUT SIX WEEKS.

THEY TELL US 16-18 MONTHS, THAT PUTS US PERHAPS LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL OF 2027.

TED: THE OLD BUILDINGS, EVERYTHING IS ON THE GROUND STILL WILL BE OPEN?

>> YEAH.

THAT WILL ALL BE OPEN.

THE PLAN IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ART CAMPUS, THAT WILL BE THE NEW BUILDING, AND THE CURRENT BUILDINGS WILL BECOME THE WESTERN HISTORY CAMPUS, IT WILL FEATURE THE ARTIFACTS OF THE AMERICAN WEST.

TED: AND COWGIRL UP, THAT EXHIBITION AND SALE WILL CONTINUE?

>> YOU BETCHA THAT WILL, THAT WILL GO IN THE NEW BUILDING.

TED: DAN FINLEY, SIGLER WESTERN MUSEUM.

ARE YOU USED TO SAYING SIGLER WESTERN MUSEUM?

>> I AM.

IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE THE IRS HASN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET.

TED: GOOD LUCK ON THAT ONE.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SUCCESS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TED: THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.