Los Alamos Parks Board hears Brewer Arena renovation plan as stable owners press for more design details

County staff on Oct. 23 presented plans to renovate the Brewer Arena in Los Alamos, outlining new ADA‑compliant restrooms, a covered pavilion and grandstand, an announcer’s booth ("crow’s nest"), improved pedestrian circulation and limited ADA parking.

"This facility has long been a gathering place for our community, a venue where families, competitors and visitors come together to celebrate local traditions and rodeo and Western culture," project manager Russell Naranjo said, adding the project seeks to "restore this facility in a way that is safe, inclusive and welcoming to everyone." Staff said the work responds to a July 2024 structural assessment that found the former pavilion and grandstand unsafe and to a county ADA audit that prioritized the arena for short‑term action.

The presentation included project milestones and funding: a New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration planning/design grant of $150,000 (awarded Nov. 23, 2023), a May 2024 task order with Wilson and Company for design services, a full‑construction bid that staff said came in at roughly $1,934,000, and a set of budget figures mentioned during the meeting that ranged from $2,400,000 to about $2.7 million. Staff told the board a contingency of roughly 18% is included to address cost escalation and that bid prices are valid for 60 days.

Staff described the design choices that drove the footprint and capacity decisions. Using a third‑party foot‑traffic dataset (Placer AI) that pings cell phones, staff said weekend attendance studies for 2023–2025 support designing for roughly 768 fixed seats plus eight wheelchair spaces rather than rebuilding the original, larger bleachers. "We didn't want to over‑design this," Naranjo said.

Equestrian users told the board the conceptual plans leave important operational, safety and visibility questions unanswered. Lisa Reeder, representing the Los Alamos Stable Owners Association and the Equine and Livestock Working Group, recounted repeated requests for detailed plans and asked for a facilitated workshop with Wilson and county staff so stakeholders can work through technical issues. "Staff has not been forthcoming in releasing plans and information requested by user groups or the general public," Reeder said.

Multiple stable owners voiced specific concerns: that concrete sidewalks at the horse crossing could be unsafe for livestock, that an extended or lowered grandstand could block gates used daily by stable users, that the crow's nest needs fully operable openings (not fixed HVAC windows) for visibility and crowd/stock control, and that rodeo‑specific guidance (for example from the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association) and input from the rodeo stock contractor were not sufficiently considered. "Poor planning on your part does not create an emergency on our part," one long‑time stable owner said, urging more time and collaboration before construction.

Wilson and Company staff on the call said the conceptual designs use delegated design for prefabricated elements (bleachers, crow's nest) and that vendor‑supplied stamped shop drawings will be reviewed for compliance with performance specifications. John McNamara, a Wilson project manager who spoke from an online connection, said earlier capacity estimates were derived from scaled aerial measurements and that final vendor drawings will need to meet the performance specifications included in the contract.

On timing, staff asked the board for an informational recommendation process: they said they plan to return to the Parks and Recreation Board on Nov. 13 for a formal recommendation to the County Council and hoped for a Nov. 18 council agenda slot. Staff warned that if a contract is approved before Nov. 25, deliverables for the 2026 rodeo could include bleachers, ADA restroom improvements and concrete work; later approval could mean fewer ready elements and higher costs for temporary accommodations.

Chair Watkins and board members described the Oct. 23 session as informational and said they would take time to review the materials. Staff agreed to schedule a more focused meeting with the stable owners, LWIG/LOSOA representatives and the project team to review the construction documents and delegated‑design approach before the board takes a recommendation to council.

What happens next: the project team asked to return to the Parks and Recreation Board on Nov. 13 with further materials and sought a council decision later in November. Stable owners asked the board to require a documented stakeholder workshop and clearer access to construction plans before the county advances to contract award.