The effort to transition the Mohave County Fairgrounds 70-acre campus in Kingman away from an operations lease with the Fair Association to a county-administered property will be detailed during Monday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Public Works Director Steve Latoski will brief the board as work continues to bring the operation in-house, under the Parks Department, when the New Year begins.
“Mohave County Parks is best suited to take on the management and operations,” Latoski wrote in backup material for the board meeting. “We are a team of qualified parks and recreation professionals who have extensive experience and knowledge in all aspects of event management, facility management, community outreach, recreation programming and project management.”
County Manager Sam Elters said it’s time for a thorough assessment of the Fairgrounds’ future.
“I’m asking the board for up to $100,000 to hire a consultant to help us seek, identify, analyze and make recommendations to the board related to the site of the fairgrounds, whether we keep it where it is or move it, and if we were to move it, move it where,” Elters said. He said having an outside analyst handle the assignment is preferable to immersing staff in potentially heated politics.
”I am already aware of jockeying positions between those that want it near the newest traffic interchange that has not been built yet, and elsewhere,” Elters said.
Supervisor Ron Gould said he would oppose the area Elters mentioned east of the Fairgrounds. He believes the operation should instead be moved west to Yucca, or possibly Golden Valley, if relocated at all. Gould also said he also isn’t keen on spending funds for a consultant assessment.
The county previously commissioned more than $10,000 of emergency repairs that were completed before the county fair was held last month. A 5-year business plan for the Fairgrounds includes an extensive list of repairs and improvements.
The proposed transition plan would establish a county presence and staffed office at the Fairgrounds in the first few days of the new year.
The board meeting at the County Administration facility at 700W. Beale St. starts at 9:30 a.m.
Dave Hawkins
