Davis County outlines Western Sports Park opening timeline and staffing plan

Davis County budget staff said the new Western Sports Park is on a construction schedule that hinges on installation of permanent power and associated easements, and they gave a tentative substantial completion date of March 5, 2025.

Kent Anderson, director of community and economic development, said the power easement is the project’s critical path and that the March 5 date is a target rather than a firm guarantee: “March 5 will be the substantial completion date,” Anderson said, adding that crews and procurement schedules can change that timing.

To staff the larger facility and support operations, Anderson told the committee the county is asking to expand the park’s workforce. He said the facility currently has eight full-time and 12 part-time employees under a pooled staffing model and that the 2025 proposal is to add six new full-time staff and up to 22 part-time workers to cover events and concessions.

County leaders said part of the operational strategy is to internalize some food and convenience services rather than rely solely on third-party vendors, which they view as an additional revenue source to support bond payments and ongoing maintenance.

Dave Hansen, director of the Western Sports Park, described demand from tournament organizers and local partners and said staff expect heavy use through the late fall and winter months after opening. County staff also plan a soft opening followed by a community grand opening later in the summer once operations are tested.

Committee members and venue operators discussed transitional costs for staffing, pooled part-time arrangements that provide scheduling flexibility, and short-term needs such as a small snow truck and salt spreader to keep sidewalks and entrances clear during winter events. No formal vote or budget appropriation was recorded at this meeting; the item was presented for committee review ahead of formal budget actions.