Phoenix Children’s Hospital has withdrawn from participation in the 2021 Concours in the Hills auto show scheduled for February in Fountain Park, which has resulted in the cancellation of the event.

In an email to Peter Volny of Scuderia Southwest, producer and host for the show, Steve Schnall,

senior vice president/chief development officer

of Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, announced the hospital’s decision.

“After considerable evaluation of the current and anticipated COVID-19 virus conditions, it is with regret that Phoenix Children’s Hospital must withdraw its support and involvement in Concours in the Hills for 2021,” Schnall stated. “The optics of any hospital, especially a children’s hospital, being involved in, and the beneficiary of, a major event that draws tens of thousands of people into one location, even an outdoor one, is not prudent.

“We sincerely thank Scuderia Southwest, the Town of Fountain Hills, sponsors and the business community for the incredible support and look forward to a much-anticipated and highly successful Concours in the Hills 2022.”

Volny forwarded the message to sponsors and participants, along with his regrets.

“I really regret to advise you that we have just now had to cancel Concours in the Hills for 2021,” Volny stated. “A coalition of the major hospitals in Arizona have called upon the mayors of all the towns in Arizona to deny permits to any event exceeding 25 people. Since last year we drew about 30,000, this obviously includes us. We have been in discussion with the town and recently presented an exceptionally comprehensive and expensive safety plan, which the town approved; however, with the hospital now withdrawing its involvement, we have no further options.

“This was well on the way to setting records for the eighth year in succession.”

Volny told The Times that he and hospital officials met with town officials in December and had a good meeting with a plan to hold the event with strict health measures in place.

“(The town) even offered to allow closure of Saguaro Blvd. and Avenue of the Fountains to spread the event out,” Volny said. “Until this past Sunday, we were ready to go.”

Volny noted that the hospital handles all the administrative and financial matters related to the event.

“Without the support of the hospital, we can’t go forward with a show of this magnitude,” he said.