County manager and event staff discuss ticket policy; elected officials prefer four seats each

Bannock County officials discussed a standing practice for comp tickets to county-hosted concerts and settled on a staff recommendation and elected-official preference recorded at the meeting.

Scott Crowther, the county’s event director, explained how the venue receives a comp allotment from promoters: "the ticket is actually free because it's our venue," he said, noting comps come from the venue's allocation rather than a direct gift. Crowther said the county has two side-by-side box suites that the venue has used for ADA overflow, staff, sponsors and other comp purposes.

Crowther told commissioners he prefers to give elected officials tickets in the box suites to provide a consistent, higher-quality experience but acknowledged that nine elected officials wanting four tickets each could exceed box capacity. "If we're gonna send employees ... I'd prefer to give them a good experience," he said.

An unidentified speaker told the board they polled elected officials and "all of them said they would rather be out and have the 4 seats." Commissioners discussed keeping at least one box suite at staff discretion for operational or employee use and noted promoter holds on seats can complicate allocations for certain high-demand shows.

The board did not record a formal vote on a permanent policy. Commissioners and staff agreed to continue with a practice of offering four tickets to elected officials when feasible, while keeping at least one box suite available at staff discretion.

Ending: Staff will manage ticket allocations on an event-by-event basis, balancing elected officials’ preferences, promoter holds, and operational needs.