The Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede is hoping to get an answer soon from the city regarding a multi-million-dollar funding request to replace the aging grandstand, as well as perform other upgrades. Indian Relay Racing was a huge success in late August, with the grandstand filled throughout the weekend.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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Medicine Hat Stampede officials say they need a decision soon from city council on a multi-million-dollar grant request for construction to move ahead this year on a new grandstand and major upgrades to hosting space.
That issue arrived at council in October 2023 but wasn’t included in capital budgets passed last month for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years.
Administrators have said the item, if approved, would likely come back as a budget amendment. Councillors have signalled varying levels of support depending on the city’s exposure on the project, and are asking for a better business case to warrant municipal funds.
Stampede general manager Ron Edwards told the News in late December that talks are continuing with city administration – instructed by elected officials to explore alternatives – but the need to replace the grandstand isn’t changing.
Related upgrades will add activity “year round” to the fair grounds, and the entity is already adding events each year, and could do more.
“It’s been three and half years, and time is of the essence for us,” said Edwards, who says MHES spent $165,000 last spring to add steel reinforcements to the 55-year-old wooden structure to meet safety inspection standards.
“How many more years do we keep putting money into it when it will have to come down anyway?”
The replacement project is also coupled with south grandstand modernization, with an option to replace the 45-year-old commercial kitchen under the grandstand and add event hosting space that would link the grandstand to Higdon Hall.
The new estimate of $38.9 million is about $4 million more than the previous years, due to inflation, according to Edwards, who warned the clock is also ticking on engineering studies on the project.
This latest funding proposal, laid out for council at a November meeting, would see the city provide a capital grant of either $12 million or $15.6 million, and offer a no-interest loan of either $6 million or $7.9 million.
Several city councillors have stated reservations that the city would give up investment income (expected at 9 per cent in 2024) if reserve cash was tied up in a no-interest loan.
Mayor Linnsie Clark stated last fall that the city is taking on a larger burden than the province.
That funding formula – 40 per cent by each the city and provincial governments, with the remainder to the MHES Company via the municipal loan – is advertised as a carbon copy of financing secured by the Lethbridge Ag Society to build the Agri-food Hub conference space.
That entity, however, gave up control after budget overruns and is now administered by the City of Lethbridge. The project itself is now being investigated by the Lethbridge Police Commercial Crimes division.
“It’s been a thorn,” said Edwards, of the situation in Lethbridge. “We’re certainly willing to have the city involved, a city employee work with our board members and building committee to have more eyes on the project, and we’ve had great city partnerships in the past.”
In late December, it was announced that the Cypress Farm and Ranch Show, including equipment and other trade exhibitions, will be held in June to coincide with the annual chuckwagon tour races.
As well in 2025, the grounds will host the RCMP Musical Ride, as well as a major equine show and trade event and trade show.
That comes after the ag society added Indian Horse Relay racing in 2024 and plans to bring back the event.
“We’re back to where we were in 2019 and we’re exceeding that with more event days and major events,” said Edwards. “By doing that we bring people into the city to stay at hotels.”
Edwards said the grandstands are used 40 to 45 days in a typical year, “but with proper facilities we can bring other events to the grounds,”
“There’s a replacement need – the north grandstand needs to come down, no ifs or buts,” he said.
“The summer fair is a huge part, but the rest of the year is 65 per cent of (our revenue.) A new kitchen and (multi-use event space) could be 365 days per year. We could bring in trade shows, conferences … and we would hire a person to go out and get those.”
