The owners of the historic Big Tin Cotton Gin asked the San Tan Valley Town Council to help them find a new home for the landmark building. During the January 21, 2026, meeting, James Ballentyne explained that “the building is going to have to be moved because of the development that’s happening on our corner.”
After public comment closed, Mayor Daren Schnepf said he would direct staff to reach out to the Ballentyne family about their options within San Tan Valley. Vice-Mayor Tyler Hudgins said he would like to hear a formal presentation on the project.
Historic Building Offered to Owners
“This was a cotton gin. It was put up in 1950,” Ballentyne told the council. His family has operated the building as an event center and wedding venue. “We’ve been there about seven years,” he said.
“San Tan, Queen Creek, this area exists because of this building and buildings exactly like this,” Ballentyne said.
The property has been sold, and “we have been given the building, and we would love to bring it down here,” Ballentyne told council members. This allows the family to relocate it rather than see it demolished.
Kevin Ballentyne, James’s son, noted that before San Tan Valley incorporated, the building’s location was technically within San Tan Valley’s boundaries.
Family Ties to Local Farming Heritage
The proposal carries personal significance for some council members. Ballentyne noted that Schnepf’s family sold cotton at the gin—a connection Schnepf later confirmed. Names like Schnepf and Sossaman appeared on old cotton tickets found in the building’s scale house.
“It’s your building,” Ballentyne told the council. “This is your family’s heritage. If you grew up here, if you are any one of the named streets on your last name—you grew up knowing this was a cotton community, this was a cattle community.”
He argued against demolition. “To get rid of this building, to tear it down, would be a travesty to the history and the heritage and the families that came here for five and six generations,” Ballentyne said.
Kevin Ballentyne also asked members to consider historic buildings when developing design guidelines for the new city.
“Take into consideration old buildings that don’t look like every other building that’s not corporate,” he said.
Community Members Support Preservation
Jeanne Stockton, a local resident, also encouraged the council to bring the building to San Tan Valley during public comment.
“It would be nice if we could bring that building into San Tan Valley and declare some of the history that has been garnered in this area over the many, many years,” Stockton said.
Council Response and Next Steps
Mayor Schnepf acknowledged the building’s importance to the community’s agricultural history.
“It is something that my family did go to,” Schnepf said. “It’s a landmark. It’s kind of historic out here for the farmers of the day.”
Vice-Mayor Hudgins said he wanted to use this project as an example of how San Tan Valley can attract similar businesses.
The building currently hosts destination weddings, proms, gun shows, coin shows, toy shows, and large Pinal County meetings. Schnepf said he would direct staff to reach out to Ballentyne to discuss options within San Tan Valley. The council has not set a timeline for a formal presentation.
