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Jackson County advances Expo and fairgrounds plans as Brew Fest discontinued
Summary
County staff briefed commissioners on Expo revenue and 2026 fair and rodeo programming, confirmed expanded parking and shuttle service, announced the Southern Oregon Brew Fest will be discontinued, and outlined steps to open the Multi‑Use Pandemic Response Center on Jan. 1, 2027.
Rob Holmbeck, Operations Manager for the Jackson County Expo, told commissioners Feb. 3 that the county is doubling down on sponsorships and digital marketing for the 2026 Central Point Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo while discontinuing the Southern Oregon Brew Fest.
Holmbeck said the Brew Fest “remains challenging despite sponsorships, and will therefore be discontinued.” He told the Board the Expo is exploring a partnership with a California company to host a large food‑truck event that could generate higher revenue.
The update included fiscal results for the 2025–2026 year. Holmbeck said rental and ancillary revenues have been a strong revenue source for the Expo and noted upgrades to parking and transportation for events: “parking capacity has been expanded to approximately 850–875 spots with improved lot access and overflow areas,” and shuttle service has been expanded with additional stops.
Holmbeck also gave a construction and operations update on the Multi‑Use Pandemic Response Center (MUPRC), which he said is making significant progress with new roads in place and the majority of interior framing completed. He set an anticipated opening date of January 1, 2027, and outlined immediate priorities: finalize the MUPRC budget, hire a consultant to refine a director job description and help coordinate among three entities, select reservation software, and hire operations staff.
Commissioner Colleen Roberts asked about parking capacity; Holmbeck confirmed the 850–875 estimate and described plans for overflow parking. Board members thanked Fair Board representatives and Expo staff for the briefing.
Next steps include finalizing the MUPRC budget, contracting a consultant to finalize the director position and governance details, choosing reservation software, and scheduling a grand opening. No formal board action was taken on these operational items.
