By George Cavalliere
As some of your readers may know we are the family that serves as the custodians of the Greasewood Flat and Reata Pass restaurant properties in the northern part of Scottsdale. Indeed, some of our family lives right on-site, too. What a privilege it’s been, welcoming tourists and local residents to our special place, just as my dad did for more than 90 years until his passing in 2009.
However, since the death of our family patriarch, and due to federal tax laws covering inheritances we have been facing substantial financial pressures, so much so that these matters had to be resolved in court. But recently they were resolved, we are pleased to report.
A local company, Taylor Morrison, was the winning bidder on the property. Why is this good news?
First, we have been very impressed by the company’s sincere commitment to our land. They care. They get what’s at stake and what’s the opportunity before them.
We believe great potential exists for the responsible redevelopment of our land that also preserves or creatively relocates the special places that inhabit it. In other words, we are as optimistic as we have ever been that Greasewood Flat can and will be a part of Scottsdale for generations to come.
What a welcome change this is from the past couple of years when dire financial circumstances left our watering hole’s future bleak. The reality is that without the resolution now before us, and a new partner like Taylor Morrison, the very likely result would have been closure of the business since the tax bills just couldn’t be afforded.
But if and when we are able to achieve a bright future for Greasweood Flat via the private sector, rather than the creative public approach offered by some with the city of Scottsdale, taxpayers will be spared millions of dollars. This may be especially important as Scottsdale stretches every dollar to fulfill the McDowell Sonoran Preserve vision.
Very importantly we finally see a path to not just keep Greasewood Flat a fun, vital component of the Scottsdale landscape, but it’s a path that can give our great employees more peace of mind about our future, too. This means a lot to us as our experience depends on caring employees who serve as custodians of our unique experience.
As a result of the progress that has occurred related to our land, we have asked the city of Scottsdale to table efforts to use Preserve funds, as has been contemplated, to aid us, directly or indirectly.
We look forward to working with readers, the city of Scottsdale and Taylor Morrison on a very positive, creative way forward. And who knows? In so doing, maybe we can remind that upstart Cave Creek that Scottsdale still is the “West’s Most Western Town!”