Deadline looming for Rhodes’ Arizona land swap
KINGMAN, Ariz. — The Bureau of Land Management is prepared to cancel a massive land exchange that home builder-turned-farmer Jim Rhodes proposed in northwest Arizona.
It was 13 months ago when Rhodes initiated the effort to swap some of his private holdings for up to 21,000 acres of public lands about 20 miles north of Kingman.
Rhodes sought the exchange to consolidate acreage for his Kingman Farms agriculture enterprise in the area of Red Lake.
Ruben Sanchez, Manager of the BLM’s Kingman field office, said Rhodes has not taken steps to advance the land-exchange proposal.
Sanchez said the BLM sent Rhodes a certified letter on March 3, giving him 15 days to indicate any wish to keep the proposal alive. Sanchez said there’s been no response and the agency will soon consider the land exchange a dead issue.
The BLM has been investigating allegations of impropriety associated with Rhodes’ road building over public land for his agricultural enterprise. The Arizona Department of Water Resources also determined well-drilling infractions occurred on some of Rhodes’ property.
Rhodes attorney-spokesman Chris Stephens did not return calls seeking comment.