Almost 200 new parking spaces; 60 new trailer stalls; say goodbye to the nearly century-old manager’s house and the asbestos-ridden, sprinkler-less extension building; say hello to 34,500-square-foot two-story combined exhibit hall and extension building; and yes, you’ll likely be able to navigate a turnaround with truck and trailer in the parking lot.
These are all part of the recently unveiled master plan for the La Plata County Fairgrounds.
“I really want this facility to be as multiuse to serve as many people as possible,” said Fairgrounds General Manager Emily Spencer. “And that goes from the eastern fence to Main Avenue, to the ball field here to this extension building; I want every square inch of it to be what the residents of La Plata County want.”
The 23.4-acre site in the heart of Durango is home to the annual La Plata County Fair and hosts rodeos, large-scale expos, ballgames and concerts. Also home to the local Colorado State University Extension Office and 4-H program, the fairgrounds is considered an epicenter of the agricultural and rural community in the county.
Some of the plans, such as direly needed roof renovations and some parking upgrades, are scheduled to be completed this year, said Deputy County Manager Kevin Hall, who spearheaded the project alongside numerous county staff members and consultants.
Still others, such as the $12.3 million remodel and combination of the exhibit hall and the extension building, appear less likely in the immediate future.
“There’s some real far-reaching visionary stuff in there, too,” Hall said.
Engineers and architects began the planning process in June 2024.
Although it’s not exactly thrilling, Hall said, parking was a huge issue for the user groups consulted throughout the planning process. Consultants suggested reducing Ward Lee Field – a major league-size baseball field which, they said, is underused and often too large for community teams – and adding 60 parking stalls.
Trucks towing trailers are notoriously difficult to navigate through the fairgrounds. The parking situation at the rodeo was a “complete catastrophe,” Spencer said.
The master plan will address that by adding 60 new trailer parking stalls, removing existing concrete islands in the main parking lot and improving circulation throughout the site.
Planners took stock of the fairgrounds’ 100,000-square-feet of existing structures spread across 14 buildings and evaluated each based on whether it makes the most sense to maintain, renovate or rebuild.
Some facilities, such as the Fred Klatt Arena where the rodeo takes place, need minor maintenance, according to the plan. The covered pavilion needs either major renovation ($4.3 million) or a complete rebuilding ($18 million to $24 million). The kitchen in the exhibit hall should undergo a major remodel, according to the plan, and the bunny barn should be knocked down and rebuilt attached to the covered pavilion.
All the recommendations also keep in mind the life-safety and code requirements, some of which the facility is not in compliance with.
“The changes are inclusive and practical but powerful in how the plan creates more effective and usable space around the primary functions,” the plan says.
In September 2023, the Board of County Commissioners formally declined an offer for land at Durango Mesa Park, which had been discussed as a possible location for a new fairgrounds. The plans, at that time, carried a minimum $80 million price tag.
The master plan released this year has an estimated $27.1 million price tag, which is likely to be spread out over many years (and is likely very conservative), said Commissioner Matt Salka, who is the BOCC’s liaison to the fair board. At the time of that decision, some people maligned BOCC’s lack of investment in the fair facilities, while others said they wanted to see the existing location upgraded.
But given that the plan’s price tag is far lower than that of a new site on the mesa, Salka said the county is making wise fiscal choices.
“Everyone wants a shiny new car,” Salka said. “But, we have a used vehicle that’s been paid for. All we got to do is shine it up a little bit more and it still does the same thing.”
The 34-page master plan details what is likely to be years of work for the county. Currently, funding for the upgrades comes from the Colorado Lottery Conservation Trust Fund, an allocation of about $400,000 annually from the state. The plan notes that other grants or private partnerships could also help fund the upgrades.
No specific timeline is attached to the upgrades. But now the county has a laundry list of critical issues and desired improvements that staff members can work off each year during budget season, Hall said.
Amy Peterson, the fair board president, said she had not read the plan but had taken part in its development and was excited by many of the potential upgrades.
“We realize it’s not going to be done all at once,” she said.
Reynolds Ash and Associates and DHM Design authored the plan. The publicly bid contract had a cap of $99,000, but not all of the funding was used, Hall said.
Although the planners held numerous public meetings and consulted with key user groups, the county is still accepting comments on the plan at bit.ly/3Eq2p47.
“The folks that use this facility from the county, they have a long history here,” Spencer said. “This is a historic part of the county. And although it is certainly far from perfect, I think it has this space in a lot of people’s hearts. I think a lot of people have memories here.”
The BOCC is tentatively slated to formally accept the plan by a vote during a public meeting Feb. 25.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
