Talks continue for Kootenai County fairgrounds agreement

COEUR d’ALENE — Fair administrators and Kootenai County commissioners are still working out an agreement to keep the fairgrounds at the current site for the foreseeable future. 

The matter was first floated in June, amid persistent but nonspecific rumors that the fairgrounds might relocate. In July, fair leadership unveiled a $280 million master plan to rejuvenate and expand the fairgrounds over the next 30 years, while cautioning that rumors of a move have created uncertainty among the community and potential donors looking to invest in the fair’s infrastructure. 

Commissioners Leslie Duncan and Bruce Mattare have said they favor a memorandum of agreement with fair administrators over a long-term lease, so as not to stymie the decision-making power of future boards. 

Alexcia Jordan, general manager and CEO of the Kootenai County Fairgrounds and North Idaho State Fair, went before commissioners again Tuesday with a new draft of the memorandum. She said the draft is modeled off a similar agreement between Valley County and Valley County’s fair board. 

“The previous version of the document took a turn in the last round of edits and included some termination clauses that would undermine the original intent of this agreement and, unfortunately, I think, erode the community’s trust in the agreement,” Jordan said. “I remain concerned that the agreement in front of you currently may not fully resolve the issue, either.” 

The draft memorandum of agreement given to commissioners this week outlines an initial term of 20 years, with two optional 10-year extension periods. 

Commissioner Bill Brooks reiterated his support for a long-term agreement between the county and the fairgrounds. 

“I have faith in what you see as the future for the fairgrounds,” he said to Jordan. 

Mattare and Duncan said they’re open to reviewing the latest draft, though Mattare suggested the county may not be able to commit at the level desired by the fair board. 

“There’s very little from a legally binding perspective between the fair, which is an entity of Kootenai County government, and Kootenai County government,” he said. 

Civil deputy prosecutor Pat Braden said he’ll continue working with both parties to hammer out an agreement that “doesn’t unlawfully bind the county commissioners or the fair board but does express the intent of the commissioners to leave the fairgrounds where it is, at least for the foreseeable future.” 

“I do have a major concern about binding future boards and what they’re able to do at the fairgrounds,” he said.