Storms Shut Rawhide Down

July 18, 2013

Monday’s monsoon didn’t last long, but its effects are still being felt. South of Phoenix, the Wild West attraction known as Rawhide has closed temporarily to deal with the storm’s damage.

Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse always shuts down in August, but the recent microburst moved the schedule up a few weeks.

Spokeswoman Alia Maisonet said the wind moved heavy antique stage coaches more than 60 feet, damaged storefronts and knocked down about half of the attraction’s fences. The petting zoo will have to be rebuilt completely, but Maisonet said all of Rawhide’s animals were unharmed. The same goes for Rawhide’s human staff, though one employee had to ride the storm out in the administration office.

“The roof was ripped off while she was in it, and so she had quite a startle,” Maisonet said, “but our team got in there and got her out before, you know, she got hurt.”

Maisonet said the full extent and cost of the damage is still being determined. She said Rawhide should reopen August 28.