City, County Working Together On Possible Fairground Improvements

While the City plans a vision list, the county has its own list - including some improvements at the fairgrounds.

The City and County are in talks about the next vision package - folding some fairgrounds projects into vision with the justification that any improvement at the fairgrounds would pay off for the city.

The fairgrounds are busy this weekend, with an event in almost every available spot. Thousands of people will go to the chili bowl, but several smaller events are happening too.

The fairgrounds management said there's new demand in the winter for horse shows and a need for more space in the summer for the Arabian and Pinto shows.

Amanda Blair with the Tulsa County Fairgrounds said, "They use every facility that we have, and as those shows continue to grow, we need to grow with them."

The fairgrounds have a plan to make the facilities more weatherproof - including a covered arena by the tower and doors on the barns that are now open air.

Tulsa County Vision Draft List

"And so, if we enclose them, it would allow us to continue to grow the events here during the winter months," Blair said.

The newest buildings at the fairgrounds are eight years old. The older buildings need work, like Central Park Hall, where the county wants to spruce up the inside.

A major new barn would go alongside the Super Duty barn, adding new stalls on the east end of the fairgrounds.

"And what that would do is increase our stalling capacity for the Arabians and the Pinto shows; those shows continue to grow and they have a significant impact to our community," Blair said.

The county's wish list for Expo Square started at $67 million, but it's been cut to $35 million. That includes some of the work at the stadium, part of the bigger plan to turn that and the old health department into a training site for BMX events - that's already on the city list as well.

The City and County are in talks because, if they work together, the vision tax could stay at the current level. Otherwise, the County plan would add up to a tax increase.

City Of Tulsa Vision Draft List

So the City is considering what to cut from their list to make some room for the County.