Design team revises fairgrounds arena plans; commissioners press for functional, lower‑cost changes

Designers and contractors gave Webb County commissioners a detailed update on the Fairgrounds Phase 2 secondary arena, outlining changes intended to balance functionality with cost.

An architect representing JHS Architects described modifications from the earlier conceptual plan: removing some architectural "window dressing," substituting weld‑in‑place pipe for portable panels in parts of the arena, and sizing seating for fixed aluminum seats. "We got 33 inches row to row, and we ended up with 1,100 seats in that arena," the design team said. Commissioners pressed to avoid unnecessary permanent concrete in the secondary arena, questioned placement of wash bays and storage rooms, and asked staff to confirm existing MOUs for leased adjacent properties before proceeding.

The design team recommended options such as low, removable jersey barriers and pipe‑and‑drape partitions to allow the arena to convert between livestock shows, rodeo events and other uses while reducing permanent costs. Commissioners asked the architects to return with refined drawings, a list of stakeholder‑requested functional changes (warm‑up space, holding pens, access gates), and updated cost impacts for proposed alternatives.