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Rodeo organizers, businesses and council hash out arena access, contracts and hotel-tax spending
Summary
Representatives of local rodeo groups and a sponsoring ag-business sought city support for arena access and partnership; councilors raised past financial shortfalls for the Riata rodeo and hot-funds expenditures, prompting a tense exchange about hotel-tax spending and prior reimbursements.
Representatives of local rodeo organizations asked Lampasas City Council on Dec. 8 to finalize an operating agreement for the city arena, describing membership options, maintenance needs and a desire to partner with the County Rodeo Association ahead of spring events.
A business representative, Heston, said his company had sponsored last year’s rodeo and offered volunteer and maintenance resources, saying "we want to foster that, and we want that's what we got involved with the Countywide Passes Rodeo Station for, in the first place." Rodeo organizers described membership fees and options (examples discussed in the meeting: $50 general membership; $150 arena-only use) and said they needed a contract arrangement in place before scheduled events (play days in March; rodeo in April).
Councilors questioned event finances, referencing a prior year when the event reportedly lost money and the council provided $10,000 in hotel tax funds for advertising and other expenses. A member of the public (speaker 16) sharply criticized council statements on hotel-tax spending, saying the council had been "very upfront" about intended uses and objecting to public comments that suggested misuse.
City staff and council members agreed to review a prior contract the city used and to prepare a contract draft for January; they discussed making the County Rodeo Association the primary contracting entity and allowing participating organizations to form operational agreements among themselves. The council did not approve a contract at this meeting but directed staff to review the previous contract and present a draft in January.
"We found I've already looked through our P&L's...we're hoping it will build the club back up," a rodeo representative said, summarizing concern about membership declines and the need for stable arrangements.
Next steps: staff will review the old contract, coordinate with the County Rodeo Association on a primary contracting entity and present a draft contract and any funding requests to council in January.
