Missoula County considers $383,000 initial outlay to expand Western Montana Fair to 10 days and add operations manager

Missoula County staff presented a package of budget requests tied to growing year-round use of the Fairgrounds: a reserve for hardwood floor refinishing, planning and capital for possibly expanding the Western Montana Fair from six to 10 days, and a proposed Fairgrounds operations manager to handle increasing year-round rentals and events.

Staff described both the main commercial hall and the Home Arts building as heavily used since renovation. Current estimates for refinishing are $4–$6 per square foot for roughly 16,000 square feet combined; staff recommended establishing a $25,000-per-year reserve so the county can refinish floors every 4–6 years without a large one-off request.

On the fair-extension proposal, staff said a fiscal-year-26 request would include roughly $383,000 in up-front spending (primarily to cover additional law enforcement/security, medical response, personnel and other startup costs) so the county could expand to 10 days in year two. Staff cited an internal projection of about $455,000 in additional revenue in the second year of a 10-day model; they said revenue would largely be realized in FY27 and that FY26 would require the upfront appropriation. Staff emphasized operational risks: increased staffing, volunteer capacity, contract changes with carnival and concessionaires, and greater coordination with city police and medical services.

Staff also proposed creating a Fairgrounds operations manager position to separate back-of-house administration, contracting, risk management and budget oversight from the event-development and sponsorship work currently overseen by existing staff. Presenters said the fairgrounds are now used throughout the year—music festivals, college rodeo, weekly rentals—and that current staffing levels are sized for the pre-renovation, single-event model and are now strained.

Staff framed the package as an investment to grow the Fairgrounds as a year-round campus that would draw new audiences and increase community engagement; they asked the Board to fund planning and initial capital for FY26 so partners and vendors could be engaged during a summer of exploration. No final vote to expand the fair or to appropriate the $383,000 appeared in the meeting excerpt; the board was presented with the budget requests and invited discussion.