(FARGO) – The Red River Valley Fair (RRVF) has been denied emergency funding from the Cass County Commission.
At its commission meeting earlier this week, RRVF CEO Cody Cashman approached the commission requesting $1.2 million in emergency funding. Cashman told commissioners that the financial picture of the fair ‘is another huge issue for the fairgrounds currently.’
He told commissioners that people ‘don’t have the money’ for extracurricular events, such as fairs.
The recent issues are forcing officials with the fair to make adjustments.
“We have our fair board meeting on the 27th (of August), and we’re going to make a lot of very good strategic moves to not only make the fair more affordable for families, but adjust how we do it,” Cashman told commissioners. He said some of the changes may include not having as large of concerts as the fair has in the past.
Commissioner Mary Scherling asked Cashman if the fair board has considered relocating the fair, which sits on valuable development land in West Fargo, the one of the fastest growing cities in the state.
“I look at the map all the time. I look at the grounds, I see what’s developing around us,” he said. “I see the potential the fairgrounds has.”
Cashman said Sioux Falls relocated their fairgrounds, at a cost of $200 million.
“I don’t believe that we could sell the fairgrounds for $200 million,” he said. “It’s not quite that value. It’s valuable to relocate a fairground.”
Cashman said the board has not ruled out a move, however.
He said he has had conversations with the management at Bonanzaville about working more closely together.
“I have talked to their executive director, but we have two boards we report to,” he said. “I’m not going to say one way or the other. I think, to me, it makes a lot of sense. We have a larger staff. We have a master electrician, a carpenter, and things like that that could really help them.”
Commission chair Chad Peterson called the request ‘a pretty large request.’
Commissioner Tony Grindberg said he cannot support the request, saying tough decisions are going to have to be made by the fair board.
“I get the reality is today, but I don’t know if there’s wiggle room there,” he said.
Scherling said she realizes the importance of the fair.
“But this isn’t a need. It’s a want,” she said. “We’ve got low-income housing, that’s a need. We have a jail that needs to be staffed, that’s a need.”
Scherling said up the fair has to build up a reserve for repairs. And she also recognizes changes may need to be made.
“Whether it is getting together with Bonanazaville, selling off land or cutting staff, I mean, nobody wants that to happen,” she said. “But whatever it may be, I really think you need to go back to your board.”
Commissioners recommended the Red River Valley Fair Association board chairman attend a future commission meeting to discuss the future of the fair.
“It’s a wonderful asset to Cass County, but I just cant see writing out a check when we don’t have a plan in place to make sure that this is going to sustain itself into the future,” Scherling said.
We’ve reached out to Cashman for more details regarding potential changes to the fair in the future.
