Volunteers outline plan to make Greenlee County fairgrounds a year‑round asset

Marshall Leeman, a volunteer with the Duncan Valley Foundation, told the Greenlee County Board of Supervisors that a newly formed nonprofit citizens council is working with county officials to redevelop the Duncan Valley fairgrounds into a year‑round asset rather than a one‑week fair site.

“I’m here as a volunteer for the Duncan Valley Foundation,” Leeman said, adding that the private group has formed an acting board and is organizing events — from rodeos and car shows to a proposed week‑long charreada — to generate revenue and attract visitors. He said the project is intended as a public–private partnership: the county retains ownership of the property while private organizers handle programming and event promotion.

Leeman listed members of the acting board and said the group’s work began after a November 2024 county presentation on fairgrounds redevelopment. He said the private group’s aims are to make the facility self‑sustaining, respect the line between county responsibilities and private activities, and use the site as an economic catalyst for the Duncan Valley.

Board members asked practical questions about liability and insurance for high‑risk events. County manager Derek Rapier responded that liability‑sharing arrangements vary and that nonprofit organizers commonly carry primary coverage; he said some events (for example, mud bogs) are difficult to insure for a county entity.

Leeman said the foundation is not asking the board for action at this meeting but will return later to request formal decisions and clarify how public and private responsibilities will be assigned. The board received the presentation with thanks and no formal vote on redevelopment plans at this session.