Fairgrounds fallout
After county withdraws plans, what's the future of Durango Mesa Park?

The repercussions of La Plata County’s decision not to move the fairgrounds to Durango Mesa Park, and how this impacts the broader vision of the expansive community project, are yet to be seen.

For nearly a decade, the City of Durango, the Durango Mesa Park Foundation and La Plata County have been figuring out how best to use the area, just east of Highway 3 – a 1,850-acre undeveloped parcel sitting on a mesa about 300 feet above town.

Those ideas have included a bike park and BMX track, a new dog park, disc golf course, tennis and pickleball courts and even an outdoor venue overlooking the La Plata Mountains. Just recently, a system of bike trails was opened to much acclaim.

From the start, a huge part of the Durango Mesa Park plan has been for La Plata County to relocate the fairgrounds, now located at 2500 Main Ave., up to the mesa.

Last month, however, La Plata County commissioners decided to nix the fairgrounds relocation based on concerns about the overall project cost. It was a move that came as somewhat of a shock to those involved in the project.

“It was a surprise to us,” Jessika Buell, a Durango city councilor, said. “Obviously, we’re going to have to look at the implications … but we still think it’s a great project.”

Now, organizers are faced with questions about the scope, as well as the price tag, for the project. Yet Moira Compton, a spokeswoman for the foundation, said despite the county’s exit, the project will continue with its goal of providing something for everyone in the community.

“We know this is a challenging project, but we have tremendous community support and are proceeding forward,” Compton said.

And, for the county’s part, officials will have to figure out how to meet the demands of the ag community in upgrading the existing fairgrounds, which have a host of issues including parking, outdated facilities and aging infrastructure.

Adding it up

For decades, the area in question, formerly known as Ewing Mesa, was eyed for massive development. In 2015, however, local philanthropist Marc Katz bought the mesa with the intent of donating most of the land to the City of Durango and La Plata County.

The idea: to make something awesome for the community.

For La Plata County’s part, it saw a chance to relocate the outdated fairgrounds and provide a major new asset for the ag community, to be located on about 200 acres. In the ensuing years, countless hours and resources were spent fine-tuning a new facility on the mesa.

In September, the Durango Mesa Park Foundation provided La Plata County updated estimates on upfront infrastructure costs, with the county’s part at $5.6 million (the total is $19.7 million). The foundation also gave the county until the end of the year to commit to the project.

It was at that point county commissioners decided the cost of infrastructure, as well as the actual cost to build the fairgrounds, was not the wisest use of county funds, according to Commissioner Matt Salka. Instead, Salka said funds should go to the $140 million backlog for roads.

“It is unfortunate,” Salka said. “I think it would be a great location, but we have to come back to reality here and make the decision if we can really afford this, and we can’t.”

Costs, of course, have always been a concern – and limiting factor – of the mesa project. In 2017, an estimate showed it could cost the county a total of $80 million for the fairgrounds relocation – and that was five years ago, before the incredible uptick in inflation.

County Manager Chuck Stevens was adamant the county explored all possible funding options before deciding to pull out of the Mesa Park project. The numbers just didn’t add up, he said.

“Early on, it’s exciting to be part of this grand vision, and how do you not take part when someone (Katz) is that generous?” Stevens said. “But over the last few years, the reality has set in – what is this going to cost, and who is going to pay for it?”

Instead, Stevens said the decision of whether or not to fund a fairgrounds location should be decided by a public vote. Commissioners have no plans to put the measure on the ballot, and it’s unclear if a citizen initiative will surface. (For what it’s worth, voters have twice turned down a tax increase for roads in recent years.)

What lies ahead

What this means now for the future of Durango Mesa Park is unclear. Compton said the foundation board will meet next week to start figuring out details in the wake of the county’s withdrawal. City spokesman Tom Sluis said, too, the city is still processing the change in plans.

From the beginning, the project has been pitched as something for everyone, from a bike park and BMX track to disc golf and horseback riding and hiking trails. Full buildout has always been envisioned as a multi-decade project, yet one that would certainly transform the City of Durango. Compton noted the county was only leading the charge on the fairgrounds, and the intent is to go forward with the grander vision.

“(The fairgrounds) was certainly one of the pillars we were building on, but I don’t think it alters the plan,” she said. “It’s a beautiful location, and it will become an incredible park for future generations. It will still be that.”

In the short-term, the foundation plans to complete a master plan for the bike park and BMX track, which will also include a community gathering area, disc golf course and new dog park. Work could begin on that phase as early as 2024.

At the same time, a plan for necessary infrastructure (water, sewer and access roads) will also be developed. As for how infrastructure will be paid (originally, it was supposed to be split three ways, and now will seemingly be split between the city and foundation), is yet to be seen.

“If the county is not going to be involved, then some infrastructure costs may actually be less,” Compton said. “That’s what we’re working on now – to get to a point of what lies ahead.”

Staying put

As for the fairgrounds, La Plata County has said it will fund a study to see what improvements can be made to the existing facilities. And, it turns out, most people in the ag community are supportive of staying in town where it’s been located for 75 years.

“A lot of members didn’t want to go up there,” Amy Peterson, La Plata County Fair Board president, said. “We think being in a central location, in town, is where it needs to be.”

Ultimately, La Plata County has $6.2 million in conservation trust funds in the 2024 proposed budget that could possibly be used for fairgrounds upgrades.

Lorene Bonds, livestock superintendent for the fairgrounds, said that first and foremost, the parking situation needs to be improved. Also, other projects could include adding fans to the pavilion, a new sound system and wash racks for animals.

“I like the idea of the grounds being upgraded,” Bonds said. “Being centralized in the city, it’s important that the urban and rural areas can come together.”

Yet, for some involved in the project for years, the dream of what could have been will always be an unknown.

“You don’t always have a benefactor willing to go to the extent that the Katz family has for the community,” Brad Blake, who served as county commissioner from 2014-18, said. “And I just thought for a 30-50-year look ahead, it sure was a possibility to do.”