Iron County approves multi-year memorandum of agreement with SUU for event-center partnership

Iron County commissioners approved a memorandum of agreement with Southern Utah University (SUU) to memorialize county contributions toward the America First Events Center and associated programming. County staff described the agreement as a 10-year memorandum that outlines donation scheduling, county recognition and partnership terms including county scheduling priority and two fee-waived facility uses per academic year.

John Oglesby, representing SUU and the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games, described the economic effect SUU events can have on the county and said the university has worked with county staff and legal counsel to align terms. "Basically, every time we host a high school state tournament multi-day event, it's an approximate $1,300,000 impact to the county," Oglesby said, noting the events draw overnight stays and visitor spending.

County leaders described extensive negotiations between county counsel and SUU's general counsel to ensure public funds and tourism-related revenue rules (TRT/TRCC parameters) are followed. The agreement provides defined reporting, semiannual meetings, and forms of public recognition. Commissioners moved to approve the memorandum; the motion passed.

The memorandum schedules a multi-year donation (commissioners noted a $2,750,000 total figure over the course of three years in discussion) and provides for county access and coordination for preferred scheduling and use for county-sponsored events including, for the next three years, a secured space for the sheriff's department gala.