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Tom outlines fairgrounds capital needs: stalls, rodeo office, fence and digital sign among top priorities
Summary
Fairgrounds presenter Tom told trustees the fair’s operating budget is largely flat though capital needs remain significant: about 350 stalls need replacement at roughly $2,500 each, the 1953 rodeo office needs major work, a perimeter fence is estimated at about $500,000, and a digital billboard/scoreboard is proposed to boost advertising revenue.
Tom, the fairgrounds presenter, told the Parks Board of Trustees the fair’s operating budget is largely flat but the facility faces significant capital needs.
“The barns are over 50 years old,” Tom said, and replacing the stalls will be costly: “to replace those same stalls is about 2,500 a stall and we’ve got about 350 of them that need to be replaced.” He and other presenters urged a multi-year rotation, replacing 25–50 stalls per year if funding allows.
Why it matters: the fairgrounds generates earned revenue — Tom said organizers have “already sold over $11,000 worth of Indian Relays since the May 1” — but major deferred maintenance has accumulated. Trustees pressed on priorities and potential payback.
Tom outlined three near-term capital priorities. First are the stalls, which he described as the most immediate revenue-preserving investment. Second is the rodeo office, built in 1953, which Tom said “still looks like an old building” despite interior work; he estimated keeping the same footprint would cost about $2,000,000. Third is the perimeter chain-link fence and privacy slats; Tom estimated a full replacement at about $500,000 but noted it can be phased in sections.
The presenter also proposed a digital billboard/scoreboard to support advertising and replays. Tom said the current sign “won’t even hold the cloth anymore,” and argued a digital unit would let staff display advertising, rodeo scores and replay footage to improve spectator experience and make advertising easier to sell. The transcript lists the sign’s cost as “about $1.87” but does not make the dollar units explicit; trustees asked whether the board should expect a multi-year payoff. Tom acknowledged it would not likely pay off within five years but predicted it would increase revenue and attendance.
Trustees asked about contractors and procurement. Tom said only a few firms do the specialized stall work and that bids typically favor the same vendor the fair’s used before. He recommended putting large replacement work out to bid and phasing projects to spread cost. He also noted recurring repair pressures: roofing and wiring, aging heaters and plumbing, and repeated vehicle damage to the fence.
No formal vote was recorded on these items during the meeting. The presentation concluded with trustees and staff agreeing to consider the requests as part of the upcoming budget decisions; grant applications for some items remain pending.
What’s next: the board will take the requests into the budget review process and consider phased funding and grant outcomes before any formal appropriation.
