Board discusses relocating rodeo to Magnolia Park; music, parking and waivers to return May 20

The Olive Branch Board of Aldermen discussed a request to relocate M5 Rodeo Productions (Chris Milhorn) from the George Harrison soccer fields to a site near Magnolia Park and a former foundry property, and asked staff to return a full contract and waiver package at the May 20 meeting.

Mayor and staff described that the city has received a signed agreement from the adjacent property owner for parking and that organizers plan earlier start times to reduce late-night noise. "He's put a real good rodeo on for us for 3 years now," the mayor said when introducing Chris Milhorn. Milhorn told the board, "We're actually gonna move our start time up to 08:00 ... by 10:00, it should be winding down."

Staff said tonight’s discussion was a location check only; formal approvals for the contract, an open-container waiver and a temporary noise ordinance waiver would be brought back to the board on May 20. A staff member noted concerns about neighbors and recommended specifying an end time for music to avoid complaints; the board discussed off-duty police for traffic and safety near a railroad track that attendees may cross.

Why this matters: the relocation would change parking and traffic patterns near Magnolia Park and nearby residences. Staff said organizers have provided parking permission from a private lot formerly occupied by a foundry and adjacent to Sherwin-Williams.

Next steps: staff will prepare a contract, open-container waiver and specific noise-ordinance waiver (with proposed cutoff time) for the May 20 meeting, and organizers will work with staff on crowd control and off-duty officers for safety and traffic management.