Hailey voters passed a $3.5 million recreation bond on Tuesday, paving the way for a major redevelopment of the Hailey Rodeo Grounds on the south end of town. The bond would pay about half the costs of a new rodeo arena, ice rink, expanded skate park and visitor center.
One of the largest pieces of the redevelopment plan, the ice rink, is set to be built and managed by the Hailey Ice nonprofit organization with private donations, including an anonymous donation of up to $3.9 million.
The donation will make possible expansion of existing plans for a 28,000-square-foot, "bare-bones" facility to a 38,150-square-foot, year-round recreation facility. The expanded version would be large enough to accommodate an inline hockey rink and indoor soccer, tennis and basketball courts. The facility would belong to the city, but be managed with a 20-year lease once it is built.
"I spoke with the donor Tuesday and he has authorized us to draw up plans for the expanded, $3.9 million facility," said Hailey Ice attorney Jim Laski. "He will be here in June to see the plans."
Hailey Mayor Rick Davis said he expects work crews to break ground on the city's public works portion of the project on July 5, immediately following the Sawtooth Rangers' Fourth of July Days of the Old West Rodeo.
"I can't see any obstacles to getting started," he said. "This will be our own little stimulus package to help jump-start the economy. It also shows that different groups can come together with a common goal and get something done."
Of 3,777 registered Hailey voters, 1,581 cast ballots. Of voters turning out, 1,115, or 71 percent, voted in favor of the bond and associated 10-year tax increase. There were 449 votes against the bond.
The entire cost of the redevelopment will be about $7 million. The bond will increase property taxes for 10 years by $33 annually for every $100,000 in valuation. Fundraising for the remainder of the money needed to complete the project is ongoing.
"I think this is great," said Sawtooth Rangers riding club President Bill Bobbitt.
The Sawtooth Rangers will continue to hold the Fourth of July rodeo at the new arena, as they have at the existing one for the past 62 years in Hailey.
"The plan is to get as many functions in the new arena as possible," Bobbitt said. "Everything we have there now is old and needs to be fixed every year. There won't be nearly as much maintenance with the new arena. And we will continue to have good rodeos as we have had in the past."
Bobbitt said efforts are being made to preserve the arena's historic murals and incorporate them into the new facility. He said the Hailey Arts Commission will be involved with that.
The Sawtooth Rangers will hold a cowboy poetry reading and barbecue cook-off on Saturday, June 5, to raise funds for the new rodeo arena portion of the development. (See Briefs, Page 9.)
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
A few of the cowboys, hockey enthusiasts, skateboarders and city officials who supported the recreation bond gather in front of the historic Hailey Rodeo Grounds on Thursday morning. The murals on the well-known white palisade marking the rodeo arena could be preserved and incorporated into the design for the new arena. Photo by David N. Seelig
