The Bob Banks Memorial Arena received that name in 2005 to honor a local business owner, beloved community member and father who tragically died in 1995.

On Friday, 32 members of the Banks family gathered in front of the bucking shoots at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds to again honor Banks’ memory and commitment to the local rodeo, this time with the Western Heritage Award.

“His dream was the outdoor arena,” said his daughter, Marty Spitzer. “When he died, we tried to figure out what to do to carry on his dreams, and this was one of them.”

Although Banks got to see the beginnings of his dream before his untimely passing, the arena, which now seats 2,100 fans, has far outgrown anyone’s expectations.

“It’s amazing. It’s far exceeded anything I think he could have ever dreamed of,” Spitzer said.

Originally from Texas, Banks’ family moved to Cortez when he was a child. The son of a boot and saddle maker, Banks was dedicated to his community. He was dedicated to the Sheriff’s posse, the local 4-H Club, and the county fair.

“The western tradition was his passion,” Spitzer said.

The community, in turn, respected Banks. When the Ute Mountain Casino Hotel prepared to open in 1992, Banks was among the first who was asked to serve as a gaming commissioner.

“He passed away before that could really come to fruition,” Spitzer said. “But he had all these books. I can remember him studying all the gaming rules.”

Even now, nearly 30 years after his death, Banks’ legacy inspires his family and the community to keep dreaming bigger for the rodeo grounds.

“Since (2005), the grandstands, the fencing, the infrastructure, everything, we just keep expanding,” Spitzer said.