Caldwell leaders, fair, rodeo and college discuss proposed land trade and coordination for event district

City and county officials met with Caldwell Event Center stakeholders on an exchange of properties intended to consolidate the county fair, the Caldwell Rodeo and the College of Idaho’s athletics facilities and to free land for upgrades and parking.

The mayor opened the workshop by emphasizing that “this is a workshop, which means no decisions are made,” and city and county staff framed the discussion as a fact‑finding, planning and coordination meeting rather than a formal action.

City staff outlined a conceptual property trade in which the city would convey what it labels Parcel 2 (an area including Christmas Park, subject to deed restrictions) to the county in exchange for Parcels 3A (the indoor arena) and 3B (the Ag Extension office at 501 Main Street). Staff said initial, informal market estimates — not a formal appraisal — put Parcel 2 at about $5.9 million, Parcel 3A at about $4.7 million and Parcel 3B at about $833,000, producing roughly comparable aggregate values for the two sides. City staff said no formal appraisal has yet been completed.

Stakeholders described potential benefits and concerns. County fair representatives and rodeo officials said the swap could create a larger, consolidated livestock and ag complex, allow reconfigured concert and carnival space and help the fair design improved unloading, wash rack and manure‑haul systems. The rodeo and fair asked that longstanding access and scheduling agreements be memorialized in updated leases and that a reliable, long‑term parking and access plan be guaranteed before any transfer of ownership proceeds.

Rodeo representatives said they are seeking certainty for a multi‑year capital campaign and potential $7.5 million in infrastructure investment; they asked that any new agreements protect existing access they use for events and for confidence that hotel and adjacent lots will remain available for rodeo parking. Rodeo staff said they are also preparing updated lease language and would prefer longer lease terms in recognition of their planned capital investment.

College of Idaho representatives said upgrades to Simplot Stadium and Wolf Field have been discussed and that parking access immediately adjacent to athletic facilities is a particular concern for game days and team logistics. College staff asked that any plan preserve or replace on‑site parking used regularly by student athletes.

Several elected officials and staff raised operational issues the swap would not resolve automatically: the need to update multiple, decades‑old leases and responsibility for ongoing maintenance costs if the city assumes additional buildings; the schedule and cost to realign Stock Trail (the road now bisecting portions of the site); and a Union Pacific railroad lease that currently covers parts of Stock Trail and likely will require renegotiation. Staff noted the city is negotiating a replacement lease with Union Pacific; county staff said recent railroad leases are typically short term (approximately five years) and more expensive than earlier long‑term agreements.

Other technical questions flagged for follow up included deed restrictions on the park parcel that limit use to public or fair purposes, whether any federal grant conditions would be affected by changing park status (staff said they are not aware of federal grant restrictions on the parcels but will confirm), and a building condition assessment for older structures (roof life, mechanical systems, potential renovation costs) before taking on ownership responsibilities. City staff said the county would be asked to pay for road realignment and that finer points such as shared parking, event scheduling and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for seasonal uses would need to be negotiated.

Participants agreed the relocation of fair operations would not be immediate. Staff said construction and relocation would take time and that the fair would not move in the current year; any transition would need coordinated staging and likely span multiple seasons.

City staff compiled the questions and homework raised in the meeting and said they will return with more detailed cost estimates, lease drafts, railroad lease status, and options for a coordinator or shared event management function to handle scheduling, parking assignment and conflict resolution among the stakeholders. Officials asked staff to return with recommendations promptly rather than letting the matter sit on a shelf.

Ending: The workshop closed with no vote; staff will gather requested analyses and reconvene with stakeholders to pursue next steps.