Scotts Bluff County approves three-year $50,000-a-year capital grant for fairgrounds

The Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to award the Scottsbluff Ag Society a capital improvement grant of $50,000 per year for three years to fund upgrades at the county fairgrounds, including restroom renovations, Sanford Hall maintenance and improvements to the show pavilion and event center.

The tourism office recommended the award after the ag society requested $50,000 a year for five years; county and tourism officials said they negotiated the three-year term with a follow-up report required after the initial period. The county's capital improvement fund is supported by a 3% lodging tax; tourism staff told commissioners those funds are restricted to tourism promotion and capital projects tied to lodging-tax rules.

Tourism staff explained the county's payout approach: the ag society must match the county contribution 50/50 and submit receipts before reimbursement. "They would receive payment upon receipts of the first $50,000," the tourism presenter told the board, adding that the county will require documentation that the matching funds were spent. Ag Society representatives said the grant would be applied to phased work prioritized to increase event capacity, improve restrooms and make Sanford Hall usable for more months of the year.

Scottsbluff Ag Society members described parking constraints and the phased nature of projects, saying some improvements could be completed more quickly than others and that Sanford Hall's status on the historic registry means upgrades would be done to preserve its appearance. The ag society also said the combined work could total roughly $300,000 over three phases when matched by private or society-held reserves.

Commissioners discussed the length of the multi-year commitment and whether approving three consecutive years could be interpreted as an ongoing annual pledge; the board majority said three years provided the grantee stability while protecting the county's ability to fund other projects in future budgets. A motion to approve the three-year $50,000-per-year grant passed on a voice vote, with commissioners recorded as voting in favor.

The board directed staff to follow the capital fund's matching and receipt rules and to ask the ag society for a report after the three-year period on improvements and bookings. The tourism office said records of lodging-tax recipients back to 2013 are available and will be provided to commissioners on request to show historical allocations.

The grant was approved as presented; work on phasing and receipts-based reimbursement will determine when funds are released.