Commissioners approve larger event center design — arena expanded to 250x400 feet and seating increased to ~3,000

The Lander County Board of Commissioners voted May 22 to approve design modifications that expand the county's planned event center arena to roughly 250 feet by 400 feet and increase seating capacity from the earlier 1,500-seat design to about 3,000 seats.

Aaron Martinez of AM Engineering presented the revised layout and a phased plan for construction. The updated design increases arena size to accommodate a broader set of uses — from rodeo events to indoor motorsports and tournament setups — and adds storage, larger garage-style access beneath bleachers, expanded locker-room and restroom facilities, VIP booths above bucking chutes, and multiple egress routes. Martinez explained the design changes were intended to create a multiuse floor that can be cleared and converted for wrestling mats, pergola floors for basketball or other events, and to allow heavy equipment to remove arena ballast without extensive manual labor.

Designers identified major cost drivers: a large building shell, structural steel, seating systems, mechanical/electrical/HVAC components and the large concrete 'ballast' slab the plan calls for to enable event conversions. Martinez said the project will be bid in phases and that pairing the seating package with the building manufacturer could reduce change-order risk and lower total cost. He estimated sizable cost ranges for a complex of this size and presented a four-phase approach so the county can stage work over multiple budget years. Commissioners discussed motel capacity in the region, parking and regional tourism impacts, and agreed that while the expanded facility raises operational and marketing challenges, it also increases potential to draw larger events.

The board approved the design increase by voice vote and directed staff to continue refining cost estimates and a phased procurement plan.