TUCSON, Ariz.—A conservative group known as the Tucson Tea Party staged a protest outside the future home of the Tucson Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) last week, alleging that the city council provided a “sweetheart” deal for the institution by agreeing to lease a disused firehouse to it for one dollar a year.

Tucson’s city manager Mike Letcher has recently responded to the charges, telling reporters that groups were allowed to apply and compete for the space. Though the Tea Party alleges the local police offered to take the space in 2006, 2008, and 2009, Letcher maintains that they never formally completed the application process.

“No offense to MOCA, but they're going to give it to them for one dollar a year,” Larry Lopez, the president of Tucson Police Officers Association, said. MOCA has offered to pay to bring the building up to code, a cost that the city would otherwise have had to cover, Letcher said, explaining the decision to choose MOCA for the space. “What's the rental vacancy rate in town? Let's get real,” Letcher said.

MOCA hopes to have the converted firehouse open to the public by January. It currently programs exhibitions in temporary spaces, but has received a $100,000 grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation to begin work on raising money to convert the firehouse, a neo-brutalist building designed by the firm of William Wilde.

Read more at KOLD.