Chamber urges county to explore convention center at Old Spanish Trail Arena; advisory board backs feasibility study and funding review

The Grand County Economic Opportunity Advisory Board discussed a Chamber request that the county formally explore developing a convention and large-event facility at the Old Spanish Trail Arena and agreed to pursue early planning work and funding options.

The Chamber representative read a letter asking the Grand County Commission to "explore the development of convention and large event facilities," saying the county lacks sufficient high-capacity meeting space, breakout rooms and modern event amenities to attract regional conventions and extend visitor stays. The request asked the commission to "formally explore what a convention facility at Old Spanish Trail Arena could entail, the cost and the funding options." (Chamber representative)

Board members and staff focused the discussion on practical next steps: a feasibility study, site plan and business model rather than immediate construction. "What we would love to see is a feasibility study to get those plans going," said a member of the board, and staff recommended using smaller local RCG funds for targeted studies while preparing a competitive RCOG application for larger planning work.

Angie Cook, director of OFSAA, described current constraints at the Old Spanish Trail Arena: dirt floors, limited breakout spaces, minimal catering/kitchen facilities and aging air/heat systems that make conversion costly and labor intensive. "We try to make things work by bringing in tents," Cook said. "Tents are extremely expensive, and then we also know how Moab weather is. There's a danger to it. They don't want to set up tables in dirt, and that's unfortunately all we have available to provide is dirt." She added that modernized floors, climate control and on-site catering space would make the venue more attractive to conventions and sports tournaments.

Economic development staff said that a staged approach is the most competitive path: a feasibility study and site planning that would produce architecture, a business plan and fill/use modeling could then be used to apply for larger grants or loans. "If you invest in a plan, now you can say, 'I'm going to apply for a CIB loan, bond, or USDA facilities loan' because you'll have the plan that funders require," staff said, describing how a $600,000 RCOG application could package architecture, a budget and a feasibility study to make the project fundable.

Funding constraints were a central concern. A commissioner explained how Tourist Resort Tax allocations limit what the county can spend on new facilities: Grand County receives roughly $8 million annually in TRT revenue split between promotion (3a) and mitigation (3b); mitigation dollars are largely committed to law enforcement, search-and-rescue, solid-waste and other tourism-driven costs. "We have no mitigation money left," the commissioner said, noting that using mitigation dollars for new construction would require shifting current commitments or increasing property taxes.

Board members repeatedly framed the next step as defining scope and value: how often would a facility sit empty, what program mix (conventions, sports tournaments, private events) would reduce vacancy, and what combination of grants, bonds and local funds would make a project feasible. Several members recommended beginning with a smaller planning study (estimates in discussion ranged from roughly $50,000 to $100,000) and then pursuing a competitive RCOG package later.

The board asked staff to return with concrete options and budgets—"maybe three options" including cost and timeline—and to invite stakeholders (airport staff, EMS, tourism board representatives and others) to future meetings so the advisory board can refine priorities ahead of RCOG and RCG application windows. Members noted the importance of timing: RCOG competitive cycles open in late summer/fall, and the board indicated it would like to firm up recommendations by July/August to meet application deadlines.

On a separate housekeeping item, Mark Tyler moved to adopt the 2026 meeting schedule (January–October on the final Wednesday, 3–5 p.m.; November moved to Nov. 18, 3–5 p.m.; no December meeting unless called). The motion was seconded; the transcript records the motion, second and a call for a vote but does not capture a recorded tally in the meeting text.

What happens next: staff will prepare a set of recommended options (including budget estimates and timelines), invite relevant agency representatives and stakeholders to the advisory board's next meeting, and scope a feasibility/site-plan study that could be funded with a combination of RCG (smaller scope) and a future RCOG competitive application for a larger package. The advisory board will advise the commission on priorities and potential RCOG/RCG proposals.

Notes: All quotes and attributions in this story are drawn from the meeting transcript and attributed to the speaker label recorded there.