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- West-side bleachers at rodeo arena are in need of upgrade
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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
If you build it, they will come—actually, they may come anyway but they will be turned away.
The “they” are fans who use the arena at the county fairgrounds as spectators of the Ute Stampede, the Mormon Handcart Pageant, the county fair, the high school rodeo, the demotion derby and other events.
“We would like to see a 20-seat high (rows high) new grandstand built,” said Chris Memmott, one of several persons who attended Juab County Commission meeting to make the request.
Memmott, Tara Sperry, Bob Garrett, Tonya Garrett, Lynette Smith, Larry Anderson, Mark Jones and Jamison McPherson all attended the meeting. All were representing various organizations which utilize the arena during the year.
Memmott, a member of the Ute Stampede Committee, said the west side bleachers were old and needed to be replaced. They do not, for example, provide handicap-access and do not comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act requirements.
Just two shows from today (in 2009), it will be the 75th anniversary of the Ute Stampede.
“We are planning a bigger than normal show,” Memmott said.
This past year, more than 400 people were turned away from the final night of the rodeo because there were no seats left.
“We worry about the safety factor,” said Memmott.
In the past, he said, sheets of metal roofing had been blown off the roof of the covered section. That could prove to be dangerous to fans in and about the arena.
In addition, there are no handrails to allow fans to gain easy access to seating. Those, perhaps, could be installed in some areas but the fact remains that the seating was built in 1938 and could stand to be upgraded.
The covered grandstand continues to be popular with fans who like sitting across from the bull pens. Those seats go first each year.
The building of the new grandstands needs to begin soon in order to be completed in time for the 75th event.
Sperry, said that the Demolition Derby was becoming a crowd-drawing event. Other events, such as the state high school rodeo, could be better-held at the arena if there was more seating.
Nephi is in the central area of the state and could host many events in the arena which would be a benefit to the community. The new seating would be a plus in that regard.
The things going on in Salt Lake City with Real point out the importance of having great facilities and the need for continuing with development of those facilities, said Bob Garrett.
“We are s till using and selling the same seat space that we did when the grandstand was built,” said B. Garrett. “A lot of us are taller and bigger than we were in 1938.”
The seats need more leg-room and people end up being packed in like sardines.
Memmott also said that some premium seats could be added to the new grandstand.
Chad Winn, commissioner, said that Payson’s arena is now gone and Santaquin is going to use the ground their arena was on for a ballpark complex. The Nephi area may capitalize on the lack of arenas by having a great one.
The persons in attendance had a preliminary plan they presented to the commission for consideration.
“I would like to see us approach the CIB (Community Impact Board),” said Val Jones, commission chairman.
There are low-interest or no-interest loans which can be obtained from that source.
He said that last year, when the commission and Mike Seely, county administrator, attended a hearing held by the board, they were impressed.
“Nobody there was turned down if they had the money to match,” said Jones. “I’d like to know, money-wise, what a cost estimate would be. It is going to take a lot of effort.”
Memmott said, however, that there were a lot of people in the area who were talented and had skills that could be used to help build such a facility.
“I know there can be a lot of people with hands in your pocket who do not need to have their hands there,” he said. “This can be done. Let’s show them.”
LuWayne Walker, commissioner, said Seely could help work on the funding angle of the project. Costs needed to be figured and then, perhaps, the project would be scaled up or down.
“Perhaps we can do 27 rows for nearly the same price, and, perhaps, we cannot,” he said. “We need to see what the costs will be in order to make decisions about size. We may be able to scale up or we may have to scale down.”
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