Nine acres of the world famous Body Beach – a half-mile stretch of undeveloped, fee-free lakefront land on the eastern shores of Arizona’s Lake Havasu, frequented by boaters and personal watercraft enthusiasts for several decades – will officially be up for grabs to the highest bidder by early 2015.
According to HavasuNews.com, funding for the acquisition has already been approved by the Lake Havasu City Council, with plans to ultimately expand the popular Rotary Park into the neighboring area currently known as “Body Beach.” Though the city will be forced to bid against other developers for purchase of the land, it will be given preference due to their current lease of the entire 47.5-acre parcel from Arizona State Land Department (ASLD).
Development plans have yet to be finalized, however, and according to deputy city manager Larry Didion, the city will most likely ask for the public’s input on exactly how to best use the land, if purchased.
A call to action has already sparked to life on the Internet and Facebook, with activists vowing to begin circulating pledges, writing letters to city officials, and rallying local businesses to support keeping this tabernacle of personal watercraft racing open and free to everyone.
For over fifteen years, supporters of an unadulterated Body Beach have voiced their collective concern over the potential acquisition and development of Body Beach, with a surprising amount of support given from local business, concerned citizens, even city government officials to keep the day-use area open and fee-free. With a partial acquisition on the table, however, many are predicting that this will be the end of Body Beach – at least as the community has come to know it for the last 30 years.
