Fairgrounds director urges state funding after $2M grant winds down

Casey Daley, who leads operations at the Crook County fairgrounds, told the board Jan. 13 that deferred maintenance across century‑old facilities is the department’s top ongoing issue and that securing stable state funding remains a multi‑year priority.

Daley said the fairgrounds received a modest increase in annual lottery dollars — from $50,000 to $80,000 — but that the multi‑year $2,000,000 grant the county once used for capital work is nearly exhausted. He described three high‑use buildings — Terry Foster Hall, the indoor arena and the Rabbit Barn/Grizzly Mountain Pavilion — as most in need of attention. For the indoor arena, Daley said a package of insulation, roof repair and a non‑propane heating system is “somewhere close to $1,000,000,” and that the arena is about 18,000 square feet.

Questions from commissioners focused on sequencing repairs, the tradeoff between repairs and revenue generation, and interim operational changes (partnering with 4‑H/FFA to shift costs). Daley said staff are preparing site work that could cut costs for future building pads and that event expansion in the winter is a priority to increase earned revenue.

Next steps: Daley and staff will pursue state legislative funding in the upcoming short session and continue to prioritize repairs in the county’s FY27 budget planning.