An outdoor recreation economy also puts food on tables. 

(July 8, 2026) — The U.S. Small Business Administration’s recent promotion of ranchers as the people who “put food on our tables” may sound harmless at first. Ranchers are business owners. Many are family operators. Rural economies matter. But in Arizona, where the future of the Salt River wild horses is under direct threat, this kind of federal messaging lands very differently.

When government agencies elevate ranching interests while wild horses are being labeled as a problem, the public has reason to ask: whose interests are really being served?

The Salt River horses are not merely an inconvenience on public land. They are protected under Arizona law. They are part of the cultural identity of the Lower Salt River. They draw visitors, photographers, families, outfitters, conservationists, and tourists. They support an outdoor recreation economy that also puts food on tables, fills gas tanks, books hotel rooms, supports guides, and brings people to Arizona.

Yet the public is being told this herd should be reduced to a dangerously low number. AZDA is managing toward 125 horses within five years, despite scientific guidance showing that wild horse herds need larger numbers to remain genetically viable. Even the U.S. Senate, in passing the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild Horses Protection Act, recognized a minimum herd range of 150 to 200 horses for that park’s herd.

That is why SBA’s pro-ranching message feels like more than a business promotion. It comes in a broader political environment where ranchers and livestock interests are often given the benefit of the doubt, while wild horses are treated as competitors for land, forage, and water.

Arizona’s wild horses should not be managed out of the way for cattle. Public lands belong to the public, and the Salt River horses belong in the conversation as a protected herd, not as a nuisance blocking another industry’s expansion.

Supporting ranchers does not require sacrificing wild horses. Rural investment, food production, and small-business support can all exist without turning protected horses into scapegoats. But when federal agencies promote one side of the land-use debate while removals are being considered, transparency becomes essential.

Before a single Salt River horse is removed, Arizona officials should answer the most important question: Is the state managing this herd for long-term protection, or is it managing the horses down to make room for other interests?

The public deserves to know.

TUCSON, ARIZONA (July 7, 2026)  — The following commercial Tucson lease report was reported to Real Estate Daily News for the week of June 29 – July 3, 2026. Reported activity totaled 113,248 square feet, led by two large industrial leases: NEFCO Construction Supply LLC’s 24,221-square-foot lease at Drexel Commerce Center and Trane U.S. Inc.’s 28,315-square-foot renewal at Broadbent Interstate Center. Retail activity was also strong, with Teso Life taking the final junior anchor suite at Tucson Place Shopping Center and The Room Store leasing an end cap space at Speedway Square Shopping Center. The week’s activity included 82,432 square feet in new leases and 30,816 square feet in renewals.

NEW LEASES

INDUSTRIAL – 2730 E. Drexel Road, Suite 2110, Tucson, 85706 – CENTRAL SUBMARKET
NEFCO Construction Supply LLC leased 24,221 square feet of industrial space at Drexel Commerce Center from Schnitzer Properties, LLC. Jesse Blum and Alex Demeroutis, former agents of Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, and Robert C. Glaser, SIOR, CCIM, Principal, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord. Tim Healy with CBRE, Tucson, represented the tenant.

RETAIL – 605 E. Wetmore Road, Tucson, 85705 – SOUTH SUBMARKET
TESOLife Arrowhead, LLC, dba Teso Life leased the 18,002-square-foot last remaining junior anchor suite at Tucson Place Shopping Center, on the northwest corner of First Avenue and Wetmore Road. Teso Life is an Asian lifestyle retailer selling imported cosmetics, beauty products, snacks, toys, home goods and related products. Isaac Figueroa, CCIM, SIOR with Larsen Baker represented the landlord and Ryan Desmond with Western Retail Advisors represented the tenant.

INDUSTRIAL – 4775 S. Butterfield Drive, Suite 149D, Tucson, 85714 – SOUTH SUBMARKET
MBI Occupational Healthcare Tucson, LLC leased 9,936 square feet of industrial space at Butterfield Technology Center from Butterfield Technology Center, LLC and Foodtown Development Company, LLC. Isaac Figueroa with Larsen Baker, LLC and Robert C. Glaser, SIOR, CCIM, Principal, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord. Brandon Clarke with Cresa, Phoenix, represented the tenant.

RETAIL – 5609 E. Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, 85712 – NORTHEAST SUBMARKET
The Room Store, LLC leased the 8,840-square-foot end cap retail suite at Speedway Square Shopping Center. The Room Store is a furniture retailer offering furniture for sale or lease. Isaac Figueroa, CCIM, SIOR of Larsen Baker represented the landlord and handled the transaction.

OFFICE – 800 E. Wetmore Road, Tucson, 85719 – CENTRAL SUBMARKET
Sunset Hospice LLC leased 6,047 square feet. CBRE’s Jeff Casper represented the landlord, Wetmore Tucson LLC. Michael A. Gross of Tucson Realty & Trust Co. represented Sunset Hospice, LLC.

OFFICE/WAREHOUSE – 2028 E. 14th Street, Tucson, 85719 – CENTRAL SUBMARKET
Sunset Interiors leased 3,800 square feet of office/warehouse space from the Rosenthal Trust. Joey Castillo with VOLK Company represented the tenant and Max Fisher with BRD Realty represented the landlord.

OFFICE – 177 N. Church Avenue, Suite 315, Tucson, 85701 – CENTRAL SUBMARKET
NewSun Sonoran Development Services LLC leased 2,824 square feet of office space at The Transamerica Building from TA Building Corporation. Thomas J. Nieman, Principal, and Molly Mary Gilbert, CCIM, Office Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord. Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the tenant.

RETAIL – 140 W. Duval Mine Road, Green Valley, 85614 – SOUTH SUBMARKET
Best Life Wellness AZ LLC leased 1,846 square feet. CBRE’s Bruce Suppes represented the tenant. Gary Heinfeld of Advisors in Real Estate represented the landlord, GV REI LLC and Punjab Green Valley REI LLC.

OFFICE – 6303 E. Tanque Verde Road, Tucson, 85715 – NORTHEAST SUBMARKET
Integrated Axis Technology Group Inc. leased 1,710 square feet. CBRE’s Bruce Suppes represented the tenant. The landlord, Thorinson II LLC, was represented by Alain Hartmann of Hartmann Commercial Real Estate LLC.

OFFICE/WAREHOUSE – 1687 W. Grant Road, Suite 101, Tucson, 85745 – WEST SUBMARKET
Arso Group leased 1,375 square feet of office/warehouse space from Grant Investors LLC. Max Fisher with BRD Realty handled the transaction.

INDUSTRIAL – 1665 E. 18th Street, Suite 203, Tucson, 85719 – CENTRAL SUBMARKET
Tucson Estate Sales and Consignments LLC leased 1,220 square feet of industrial space at Tucson Tech Park from SBC Investors, LLC. Kameron Norwood, Investment Sales & Leasing Specialist, and Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord.

RETAIL – 8963 E. Tanque Verde Road, Suite 195, Tucson, 85749 – NORTHEAST SUBMARKET
Ying, LLC, dba Ohana Massage leased 1,200 square feet at Bear Canyon Shopping Center, located on the northwest corner of Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway. The premises will be used as a massage studio. Isaac Figueroa, CCIM, SIOR with Larsen Baker represented the landlord and handled the transaction.

INDUSTRIAL – 1100 E. Ajo Way, Suite 212, Tucson, 85713 – SOUTH SUBMARKET
Arcos De Oro, LLC leased 811 square feet of industrial space at Ajo/Evans Business Park from FJM Merced Associates, LP. Kameron Norwood, Investment Sales & Leasing Specialist, and Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord.

OFFICE – 1661 N. Swan Road, Suite 240, Tucson, 85712 – NORTHEAST SUBMARKET
McKenzie Psychology, LLC leased 600 square feet of office space at The Smart Building from DHS Property Investments, Ltd. Partnership. Ryan McGregor, Office Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord. Gary McKenzie represented the tenant.

Total new leases: 82,432 square feet.

RENEWALS

INDUSTRIAL – 2155 & 2165 N. Forbes Boulevard, Suites 104 & 107, Tucson, 85745 – WEST SUBMARKET

Trane U.S. Inc. renewed its lease with Pegasus Tucson Owner, LLC for 28,315 square feet of industrial space at Broadbent Interstate Center. Paul Hooker, SIOR, Principal, and Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord. Jesse Blum, former Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, and Nicole Thomas and Joshua Wyss with Cushman & Wakefield represented the tenant.

OFFICE – 6595 N. Oracle Road, Tucson, 85704 – NORTHWEST SUBMARKET
State Farm Insurance Agency renewed and expanded its lease for 1,578 square feet. CBRE’s Bruce Suppes represented the landlord, Rio Equity Group LLC. Michael Coretz of Commercial Real Estate Group of Tucson LLC represented State Farm Insurance Agency.

INDUSTRIAL – 4555 S. Palo Verde Road, Suite 167, Tucson, 85714 – SOUTH SUBMARKET
KRK Distributors, LLC renewed its lease with Pegasus Tucson Owner LLC for 923 square feet of industrial space at Butterfield Business Park. Paul Hooker, SIOR, Principal, and Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord.

Total renewals: 30,816 square feet.

Total reported lease activity: 113,248 square feet.

Submit sales and leases to [email protected]

(July 3, 2026) — This Independence Day season, as Arizonans reflect on the meaning of freedom, the sentiment surrounding Arizona’s Wild Horses and the Salt River wild horses may be captured best in verse:

Freedom Runs the Salt

On this Fourth of July, as our flags proudly fly,
And fireworks illuminate the desert sky,
Let us remember freedom wears many forms—
From soaring eagles to wild horses in storms.

Along the Salt River, beneath canyon walls,
A timeless spirit still answers freedom’s call.
Hooves drum the earth where their ancestors ran,
Untamed and unbroken by the hand of man.

They ask for no riches, no comfort, no fame,
Only to remain wild, exactly the same.
To drink from the river, to graze and to roam,
In the desert they know and have long called home.

As we celebrate liberty and the birth of our nation,
May we honor these symbols with equal dedication.
For freedom is precious, whether human or horse—
And once it is taken, it cannot be restored.

So this Independence Day, let our voices ring clear:
Keep the Salt River horses wild, treasured, and near.
For a nation that cherishes freedom in every way,
Must protect those who embody it each and every day.

That spirit is not merely symbolic. Along the lower Salt River, it moves in bands through the mesquite and cottonwoods. It flies above front porches. It lights the desert sky. And along the lower Salt River, it moves in bands through the mesquite and cottonwoods, drawing photographers, kayakers, hikers, families and visitors who come hoping to see one of Arizona’s most iconic living symbols: the Salt River wild horses.

The beauty of Arizona’s Wild Horses captures the hearts of many who visit the Salt River. These majestic animals roam freely, embodying the spirit of the American West.

For many visitors, seeing the horses in the wild is not a side note to the Arizona experience. It is the experience.

The Salt River corridor is already one of the state’s most beloved outdoor recreation destinations, offering tubing, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, birding, photography and scenic desert views within easy reach of metro Phoenix. The wild horses add something no marketing campaign can manufacture: authenticity.

For those seeking an authentic Arizona experience, spotting Arizona’s Wild Horses is a highlight that cannot be missed.

They are part of the emotional landscape of the place.

That connection is captured in the poem Freedom Runs the Salt:

Arizona’s Wild Horses are not just part of the landscape; they are woven into the very identity of Arizona’s tourism narrative.

“Along the Salt River, beneath canyon walls,
A timeless spirit still answers freedom’s call.
Hooves drum the earth where their ancestors ran,
Untamed and unbroken by the hand of man.”

For Arizona’s tourism industry, that image matters. Destinations are not built only on hotels, restaurants, and attractions. They are built on identity. The Salt River horses help define Arizona’s outdoor identity in a way that is distinctly local, highly visual and deeply shareable.

Tourists travel far and wide to witness Arizona’s Wild Horses, making them a significant element of local culture.

They are also a draw at a time when travelers increasingly seek nature-based, authentic, and place-specific experiences. A visitor can see desert scenery across the Southwest. But the chance to see wild horses moving freely along the riverbanks and desert foothills of the lower Salt River is rare.

Seeing Arizona’s Wild Horses in their natural habitat adds to the region’s allure and enhances the traveler’s experience.

That rarity creates value.

The current debate over reducing the herd from approximately 272 horses to about 120 over the next five years is therefore not only an animal management issue. It is also a tourism, heritage, public trust, and economic development issue. Nor is the question whether the herd should be managed. It is already being managed through birth control and natural attrition, with an expected 40 percent reduction over five years. That makes it a true model for other herds across the country. At that rate, in another five years, the herd would be near 165 horses, within the range associated with long-term genetic viability, according to renowned equine geneticist Dr. E. Gus Cothran.

The urgency has increased because SB1199, the bill intended to require scientific review before any reduction of the herd, died in the Senate last month without even receiving a hearing on the House amendments. The measure passed the Senate earlier in the year and later passed the House, but did not receive a final Senate action after being transmitted back.

That leaves only one immediate path before removals begin in September: Governor Katie Hobbs can commission an independent, peer-reviewed scientific assessment and direct a pause until Arizona knows whether reducing the herd to 120 would jeopardize its genetic health, visibility and long-term sustainability. Such a study should examine the herd’s demographics, genetic diversity, mortality rates, fertility control impacts, carrying capacity, habitat conditions and long-term viability.

Understanding the dynamics of Arizona’s Wild Horses is crucial for preserving their legacy and sustaining tourism in the area.

Research associated with Dr. Cothran has generally indicated that total herd sizes of roughly 150 to 200 animals are needed to maintain genetic diversity in free-roaming horse populations. A forced reduction to 120 raises questions about whether the herd would remain genetically sustainable over time, especially when fertility control is already moving the population toward a more sustainable number without the disruption of removals.

That question should matter to Arizona’s tourism industry, and it should matter to the Governor’s Office.

A herd managed below viability is not a long-term attraction. A herd that loses genetic strength, family structure or visibility along the river could diminish one of the state’s most recognizable wildlife-viewing experiences. The issue is whether the horses will be managed in a way that protects the very qualities that make them valuable to Arizona.

Consequently, ensuring the preservation of Arizona’s Wild Horses is vital for maintaining the state’s unique tourism appeal.

Other states offer examples. Colorado’s Sand Wash Basin has used fertility control, partner involvement and smaller-scale management tools as part of an approach intended to reduce reliance on large removals. North Carolina’s Corolla wild horses are treated as a heritage tourism asset, supported by monitoring, education, emergency response and public stewardship.

Arizona should be able to do the same. The Salt River horses are supposed to be protected under Arizona’s Salt River Horse Act, A.R.S. § 3-1491, yet the law is being interpreted in a way that could allow the very action many Arizonans believed it was meant to prevent. The next step is ensuring that protection is guided by science, transparency, and recognition of its broader value to the state.

Advocates also say Governor Hobbs has refused to meet with wild horse supporters and has been unresponsive to repeated emails, phone calls, and protests. That silence has deepened the concern that decisions are being made before the public, the science and the horses have been given a fair hearing. The question is larger than a population target: What does Arizona lose if one of its most beloved tourism symbols is reduced too far?

Arizona’s wild horses represent freedom, yes. But they also represent a promise: that the state can protect its natural and cultural assets while welcoming the visitors who come to experience them.

Ultimately, Arizona’s Wild Horses serve as a reminder of the balance between environmental preservation and tourism growth.

As Freedom Runs the Salt concludes:

“So this Independence Day, let our voices ring clear:
Keep the Salt River horses wild, treasured, and near.
For a nation that cherishes freedom in every way,
Must protect those who embody it each and every day.”

For Arizona’s tourism economy, the Salt River horses are more than beautiful. They are part of the brand, part of the visitor experience, and part of the story that makes this place unlike anywhere else.

For many visitors, the encounter with Arizona’s Wild Horses becomes a cherished memory, making their trip unforgettable.

Before that story is diminished, Governor Hobbs should commission an independent scientific study and pause removals until Arizona knows whether reducing the Salt River herd to 120 horses can be done without jeopardizing its genetic health, visibility and long-term future.

As the debate continues, the future of Arizona’s Wild Horses hangs in the balance, impacting the tourism landscape.

Governor Hobbs faces an important decision. She can allow removals to begin before an independent scientific review is completed, or she can insist that management decisions be guided by that science and help protect the Salt River horses for generations to come.

Protecting the Salt River wild horses is not only an act of compassion. It is responsible stewardship.

Final Note and Call to Action:
Advocates are asking Governor Katie Hobbs to commission an independent scientific study of the Salt River wild horse herd and pause removals before they begin in September. Those who wish to support that request may sign the petition here: Save The Salt River Wild Horses