Park board approves $17,000 for motorsports event after debate over fairness and facility use

The Stark County Park Board voted to give $17,000 to Roughrider Motorsports for a July 5 motorsports event after members debated whether county support for a private promoter was equitable.

The board approved the funding in a roll-call vote after Neil, board member, moved to reduce an $18,000 request by $1,000 to account for facility rent; Corey, board member, seconded. Ernie, board member, abstained; Dean, Paul, Neil and Corey voted yes. "I would move that we approve the 18,000 less, a thousand dollars used for the facility ... I would move that we approve 17,000," Neil said during the meeting.

The motion followed a committee review. Amanda Engelstead, staff member, said promoters provided tax returns and a W-9 as part of the application and that the community-events committee — Karen Richard, Melissa Krusch, Engelstead and Bernie Marsh — recommended support. Engelstead said the promoter had recent events with strong attendance and active social-media promotion.

Board members raised several concerns before the vote: how gate and concession receipts are handled for events at the fairgrounds, whether county funds should subsidize private promoters who keep gate and concession revenue, and how to make the community-events funding process more transparent for future seasons. Paul, board member, asked how gate and concession receipts are split; Engelstead explained that arrangements vary by event and lease, and that some groups negotiate a per-person payment or a split for power costs. Bernie Marsh, board member, asked whether approving the grant would be perceived as subsidizing a private business; Engelstead said the promoter’s five-year average income suggested they were not earning large profits from the events.

The board also discussed the broader structure of the community-events fund. Several members suggested creating separate budgets for use of the fairgrounds and for the speedway in future years to avoid perceived inequities between quasi‑public groups and private promoters.

Board members said the existing Roughrider Commission lease on the arena expires at the end of the year (it had previously been extended through 2026 because of COVID-related adjustments), and Engelstead said the current group had told staff they would not renew. Engelstead recommended noting that lease change during 2026 budget planning. The board did not change lease policy at the meeting.

The vote to approve $17,000 passed. Engelstead and staff will document conditions and the committee’s recommendation for the record.