Enriched by dozens of suggestions from current fairgrounds users and horse owners, the Durango firm DHM Design has come up with a large and functional development plan for a multi-use event center on Ewing Mesa.
To be built on about 200 of the 1,850 acres provided by Marc and Jane Katz for public use, Durango Mesa Park will contain facilities about three times as large – or more – than what exists at the current county fairgrounds at Main Avenue and 25th Street, plus some needed additional ingredients.
The selected plan is one of three and was chosen because of its location on high ground, which makes views toward the La Plata Mountains possible, and because it is closest to the city of Durango.
The city is planning the balance of the 1,850 acres, which will have to include water and sewer and upgraded and additional road access.
An indoor arena of 87,000 square feet will be a centerpiece, with an outdoor arena of about the same size. So, too, a 185,000-square-foot exhibit hall with seating for concerts.
Plans include two outdoor warmup arenas of 24,000 square feet and livestock show barns.
A building with up to 200 horse stalls will also be included.
The administrative and flexible meeting room space with commercial kitchens will be 27,000 square feet, up from the current 7,800.
For a new multi-event center, DHM Design was tasked with creating facilities for educational, recreational and civic opportunities, to support agriculture, enhanced cultural appreciation and to provide tourism and environmental attractions.
Buildings in the draft plan are positioned for easy truck and trailer access. There will be camping space. Automobile events will take place off to one side, away from the animals.
This fall, when DHM Design presents the completed draft plan with estimated costs to county commissioners, residents will have an idea of what is involved to make Durango Mesa Park a reality.
Lottery money is paying for the planning process, and construction funds could be available from a variety of grant sources.
But construction is one thing, yearly operations another. The county is very familiar with the revenues and costs associated with operating the current fairgrounds, but Durango Mesa Park will require that times a factor of who knows how much.
There is no doubt that the current fairgrounds is too small and constricted, but it will be critical to size a new facility equal to a projected demand.
To build for only a handful of major events will not be wise.
For historical reasons, there should be a way to continue to apply the name Ewing in some way. Remember that a few years ago Durangoans successfully defended the Goeglein family name when there was an effort to replace Goeglein Gulch Road with College Drive.
Durango Mesa Park offers some exciting opportunities, not only for La Plata County but for the Four Corners.
