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Walden Empire Sues Eagle Mountain to Take Back Rodeo Grounds Land


Developer claims deed restrictions were violated and wants to have property return to them.

During the public comment at the March 3rd Eagle Mountain City Council meeting Tiffany Walden, announced a lawsuit against Eagle Mountain City to reclaim the rodeo grounds that was deed to the city back in 2002. “In my hand is a law suit we filed today to take the rodeo grounds back from city so we can put the land to good use for the citizens. How does a fun camp ground sound?” Wilden stated.

She then directed personal criticism toward several council members. When her remarks turned to City Attorney Marcus Draper, Mayor Gray had the microphone cut off. “That is enough, Tiffany. I don’t care if you talk about elected officials, you will not talk about our staff,” Mayor Gray stated. Law enforcement then peacefully watched as she left the building.

Lawsuit Filed Over Eagle Mountain Rodeo Grounds Land

A new lawsuit filed Tuesday in Utah’s Fourth District Court challenges Eagle Mountain City’s use of land that includes the community’s rodeo grounds and could potentially transfer ownership of part of the property back to its original owners.

According to court records, Monte Vista Ranch LC and Eagle Mountain Properties LC filed the complaint on March 3, 2026, in Provo District Court against Eagle Mountain City. The case has been assigned to Judge Jared Eldridge.

The lawsuit centers on approximately 56.5 acres of land that Monte Vista Ranch LC and Eagle Mountain Properties LC deeded to Eagle Mountain City in 2002. According to the complaint, the land was transferred through a special warranty deed that required the property to be used exclusively for a public recreation park, ancillary municipal uses, or similar municipal purposes. The deed also included a provision allowing the original owners to reclaim the property if it ever stopped being used for those purposes.

Part of the property later became the site of Eagle Mountain’s rodeo grounds, where the city had hosted community rodeo events for years. In 2014, however, the city entered into a lease agreement with the Pony Express Rodeo Committee, allowing the nonprofit organization to operate events on the property for a nominal $1 per year. The lawsuit alleges the organization now hosts commercial events such as rodeos and demolition derbies and that the arrangement effectively allows a private entity to control the rodeo parcel rather than the city using it for municipal purposes.

The lawsuit does not include the portion of the property used for the Eagle Mountain Cemetery. In the complaint, the plaintiffs acknowledge they previously consented to that use and recognize it as an acceptable “ancillary municipal use” under the terms of the original deed. As a result, the plaintiffs state they are not seeking to reclaim the cemetery parcel, and the lawsuit focuses only on the rodeo grounds portion of the property.

Plaintiffs’ Claim

The plaintiffs say they only recently learned that the rodeo parcel was being leased to private entities rather than operated directly as a city-sponsored municipal activity.

Because of that, they argue the city has violated the deed’s use restriction.

The lawsuit asks the court to:

  • Declare that the deed gives the plaintiffs the right to reclaim the land if the permitted use ends.
  • Determine that the rodeo lease and commercial events violate the deed restrictions.
  • Transfer ownership of the rodeo parcel back to the plaintiffs under the “possibility of reverter” clause.

History of the Rodeo Grounds

DateEvent
February 2000Pony Express Days schedule includes a rodeo among the city celebration events.
October 2001Acceptance of Pony Express Park is delayed due to land ownership and water rights issues.
January 2009Developer proposal promises construction of new rodeo grounds as part of an annexation discussion.
March 2010Eagle Mountain approves purchase of rodeo arena equipment to host a PRCA-style rodeo, planning seating capacity of roughly 3,000 spectators.
April 2011City announces the second annual PRCA rodeo and the first demolition derby event.
May 2014Eagle Mountain approves a lease allowing a nonprofit committee to operate and manage the rodeo grounds.
July 2014Pole Canyon development agreement is amended, removing the deadline to build new rodeo grounds and establishing funding for bleachers.
May 2019A 25-year lease term for rodeo grounds operations begins.
October 2019City approves a bid for construction of restroom facilities at the rodeo grounds.
June 2023City discussions related to the Firefly/Pole Canyon development agreement address obligations involving rodeo grounds land.
March 2024City approves a purchase agreement involving arena property and equipment at Pony Express Memorial Park.
April 2024Eagle Mountain approves improvements to rodeo arena lighting.
June 2024Lease renegotiation is discussed, and city analysis reports the arena is nearing capacity during major events.
January 2026Current municipal fee schedule continues to list Pony Express Memorial Arena rental fees, indicating the facility remains an active city venue.

Supporting Documents

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Sources

Photo by Chris Kofoed on Unsplash

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