Cochise County is looking to prepare the Miracle Valley Bible College property for auction. The property was deeded to the state in March 2022.
Asa A. Allen’s Miracle Valley Bible College, which he founded in 1958, was auctioned off and sold by the county initially in late September. However, the bible college will now go to the second-highest bidder after the highest bidder backed out of the sale.
First reported by KGUN9, an alumnus of the bible college initially won the auction for the property with a bid of more than $700,000. However, they backed out of the sale and did not provide payment to the county within the required five days.
County officials confirmed to AZPM Monday that the 37.5-acre bible college property was sold to the second-highest bidder for $700,000 dollars.
The bible college’s new owner, who the county said wishes to remain anonymous, has five days to provide payment to the county.
Allen’s bible college, which hosted his Pentecostal ministry from 1958 till his death in 1970, was put up for auction after the property was deeded to the state last year after the most recent owner failed to pay more than $500,000 dollars in property taxes.
The Miracle Valley Bible College Property's auction starting price was $325,000, but it had a total cash value of $1,208,969.
But the property’s condition isn’t what it used to be. Windows are broken in many of the buildings, and parts of the roofs have collapsed, leaving the buildings open to the elements. Owls, hawks, and other wildlife have taken refuge in the buildings. The boy's dormitory has extensive fire damage and it and three other buildings contain asbestos.
The Cochise County Development Services Department had previously recommended demolishing two buildings on the Miracle Valley Bible College campus due to their poor condition and the presence of asbestos in order to prepare the property for auction.
Some members of the public, identifying themselves as advocates for the bible college’s restoration, spoke during the county board of supervisors' meetings in opposition to removing any building from the property, even with its current condition.
They claim that since Arizona’s State Historic Preservation Office has determined that the property is eligible for listing in the National and Arizona Registers of Historic Places, they don’t want history removed.
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