Trades/Construction
RANCHO RESORT
MAINTANANCE POSITION General
A1 Communications
Cable Techs Health Care
Sierra Tucson
Eating Disorders Program Coordinator

For four days next month, sprawling tracts of dirt and alfalfa fields in the shadow of the State Prison Complex at Florence will be transformed as thousands come to eat, drink and get merry to the soundtrack of country music's biggest names — Reba McEntire, Big & Rich, Trace Adkins, Neal McCoy, Gretchen Wilson and others.

Country Thunder USA 2007 at Canyon Moon Ranch expects to boast a four-day attendance of nearly 125,000 — about 25,000 to 30,000 per day. On each of those four days, the population at the ranch could be more than four times that of Florence (6,000) and about double the 15,000 inmates housed at the state complex and eight other nearby prison facilities.

Roughly half of the country faithful are driving in from south of Florence, including Tucson and Southern Arizona; most of the rest hail from the north, mostly the Phoenix area. Some will drive up for just the day, while others will set up camp.

By the time the dust settles and the sun sets on April 15, these thousands of temporary residents will have trampled the alfalfa to mulch, left enough plastic cups and bottles to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool and consumed enough hot dogs, hamburgers and beer to rival sales at Tucson Electric Park in an average spring training season.

- Cathalena E. Burch