Commissioners grant one-year extension and direct staff to negotiate performance lease for Martin County Fair

The Martin County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Oct. 7 to extend the Martin County Fair’s occupancy of its current site for one year and to authorize staff to negotiate a performance-based long-term lease for a proposed new fairgrounds site along Southwest Citrus Boulevard.

The one-year extension keeps the fair at its current Southeast Dixie Highway location while county staff and the fair association negotiate terms for a performance lease the board asked staff to bring back. The proposed replacement site identified by staff is approximately 30.9 acres along Southwest Citrus Boulevard; county staff said that site allows room for a traffic queue and future expansion subject to water-management and permitting approvals.

George Stokas, assistant county administrator, summarized the fair association’s two requests: a one-year lease extension at the current location and direction to draft a performance lease for roughly 30 acres on Citrus Boulevard. “The red box is the proposed future fairgrounds. It is approximately 30.9 acres,” Stokas said, describing circulation and expansion considerations.

Fair representatives and longtime users urged the board to approve the extension and move promptly on the new site. Michael Robbins, executive director of the Martin County Fair, said the association has financial resources available to begin site work and that a staged approach could allow livestock and essential exhibits to appear at the new site in 2027 with temporary structures while other facilities are built. “If it's given us the challenge to be out there in 2027, we will accomplish that if we work together,” Robbins said.

Users highlighted the need to preserve year-round programming and accommodate groups that use the fairgrounds outside fair week. The Martin County Model Railroad (Bridal Railroad) representatives said the club’s layout and programs cannot be relocated easily and that an extension is necessary to avoid dismantling and storage costs. “Without this extension … we couldn’t afford to start spending $12,000 a year just to store layouts,” the club’s representative said.

Commissioners discussed timelines and obligations. Some members favored a faster move to the new site to avoid further loss of parking and the civic presence downtown; others urged pragmatic steps that protect long-running groups and ensure infrastructure is in place. Staff described the performance-lease concept as a long-term lease that requires specific near-term performance milestones (site plan approval, office and livestock facilities, accessibility and utilities) to trigger continued long-term rights; the board asked staff to negotiate terms and return with a draft lease.

Commissioner [first reference: Commissioner Capps] moved to approve the one-year extension; Commissioner [first reference: Commissioner Hetherington] seconded. The motion to extend passed unanimously. Later, the board directed staff to negotiate a 40-year performance-based lease with a negotiable five-year performance window for initial construction milestones; the motion to authorize negotiations also passed unanimously.

The fair association and county staff will work on lease terms, staging plans, and accommodations for current fair users, and will return to the Board of County Commissioners with a proposed lease and performance schedule for final approval. The association and some user groups said they expect to keep programming running year-round during the move and to provide local partners chances to help fund facilities and build new buildings on the Citrus property.