COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Kootenai County commissioners approved an agreement this week that would give voters the final say about whether the fairgrounds move within the next 20 years.
Commissioners voted 2-1 Tuesday in favor of a memorandum of understanding between Kootenai County and the North Idaho Fair Board to keep the fair at its current location for the foreseeable future. The MOU has a term of 20 years.
The agreement may be terminated with the written agreement of both parties, after 180 days notice, or “upon certification of any election, whether binding or advisory, which provides Kootenai County with the authority to move the fair to a location other than the current fairgrounds.”
Also included in the agreement is a requirement that any donor who gives $10,000 or more release and waive any claim against the county “alleged to have arisen from the donor’s reliance on (the memorandum of understanding) in making such donation.”
Talks about a long-term lease or memorandum of understanding for the fairgrounds have been ongoing since June, amid persistent 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.
Alexcia Jordan, general manager and CEO of the Kootenai County Fairgrounds and North Idaho State Fair, said she was relieved to have the deal done.
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