The Hailey City Council pledged Monday to spend as much as $3 million to remodel the rodeo grounds at the south end of town.
The rodeo grounds project, which will include a new ice rink and expanded skate park, ranked as priority No. 1 in a citizens' survey last year and won preliminary design approval from the council last month.
"We have the momentum now," Councilwoman Martha Burke said. "If we don't do this now, we may not do it for another 20 years. This is the kind of thing that can bring a community out of the doldrums."
The council pledged Monday to cover up to half of the expected $6 million cost of the project, out of its capital fund and/or voter-approved funding if the other half is covered by donations and pledges from private donors.
The Hailey Parks and Lands Foundation will mount a campaign for private donations for the new rodeo grounds this month.
City Administrator Heather Dawson said $1 million could safely be taken from the city's capital fund now.
"This could perhaps be leverage for an additional $1 million in grants," she said.
Councilman Don Keirn expressed initial concern, saying "we still have a city to run," but then joined the rest of council in a unanimous vote for the pledge.
The city's initial spending of $375,000 for final construction plans on the new rodeo grounds will likely take place after Ketchum-based architectural firm Ruscitto/Latham/Blanton determines a final budget for the project.
The council agreed Monday that the final plans will need to be finished by March to receive construction bids for a ground-breaking date of July 5, following the 62nd Sawtooth Rangers' Days of the Old West Rodeo.
The master plan calls for an ice-skating rink, funded by Hailey Ice, an expanded skate park and a renovated rodeo arena, which has been used by the Sawtooth Rangers riding club since 1948.
The new and improved rodeo grounds could also be used for concerts, farmers' markets and other community events.
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
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