Clark County council reviews Event Center construction plan, requests more revenue and capacity detail
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Summary
Councilors heard a narrowed list of fairgrounds projects — including relocating the maintenance shop, replacing a seasonal 16‑stall food court with a covered year‑round pavilion, and building flexible meeting space — and asked staff for business‑plan figures before approving construction spending.
At a April 15 work session, the Clark County Council reviewed a prioritized list of construction projects for the Clark County Event Center intended to modernize aging fairgrounds infrastructure and expand year‑round event capacity. Amy Irigg, managing director of events at the Clark County Event Center, led the presentation and described four primary projects: relocating the maintenance shop to open the main entrance, replacing the existing seasonal 16‑stall food court with a covered, climate‑controlled rental pavilion that would include one or two permanent concession spaces and a rentable commissary kitchen, replacing South Halls 1 and 2 with a flexible, subdividable meeting building, and adding a marquee and site improvements at the northwest entrance.
Why it matters: Event center staff said many existing buildings are not climate‑controlled, limiting year‑round rentals and causing revenue loss as infrastructure becomes unusable. Irigg said the food court is used only during the 10‑day Clark County Fair and that the proposal would support regular, year‑round use through enclosed concessions and expanded rentable meeting spaces.
Councilors pressed staff for numbers on current capacity, revenue and projected gains from the work. Irigg said the master plan (developed by KO Architecture in 2023) contains detailed market and infrastructure analysis but acknowledged it does not include a full business plan; she said staff would develop revenue projections and noted anecdotal demand — four potential clients in three months had declined to rent due to lack of suitable meeting space. Council members asked specifically whether traditional fair vendors would be displaced; Irigg responded that vendors such as the Dairy Women booth and outdoor turkey‑leg vendors would not be affected and that many vendors indicated they would return in temporary tent structures during the fair.
Staff emphasized operational improvements intended by the plan. Michelle Shuster, director of internal services, said the county would control and inspect equipment installed in a county‑managed kitchen (reducing pre‑fair inspection rushes) and that an A&E (architectural and engineering) contract selected via RFP would provide design continuity across a 10‑year project window.
What’s next: Staff asked the council to authorize starting A&E work to identify conflicts before bond proceeds are spent; some A&E for the maintenance shop and the covered food pavilion are already budgeted for the current year, and construction approvals would return to council next year. Councilors asked staff to provide a follow‑up report with side‑by‑side figures showing current usage, capacity, expected attendance and revenue from each proposed project before approving construction spending.
Ending: The presentation concluded with an acknowledgement that the project list was refined from a larger master plan and that staff would provide more detailed business and revenue information in follow‑up materials.
