Fairgrounds to open early next year

he Carson City Fairgrounds will open next year after a $3.5 million renovation and is expected to help bring business and tourism into the city, according to city officials.

The 14-acre fairgrounds, at Old Clear Creek Road between Fuji Park and Bodines casino, will have a new arena, 60-stall barn, improved lighting and sound systems. It will also include a new announcers box to replace the previous one that was structurally dangerous and could not be used by code, said Vern Krahn, city park planner.

Work has been sped up because of a $1 million donation from the co-owner of Bodines casino, Mike Pegram, so the fairgrounds can open at the beginning of next year when the sound system is installed and other minor work is done, Krahn said.

The city started renovating the fairgrounds last year because officials were concerned about safety in the arena, he said. It was not set up properly to keep the animals in the arena and people attending events separate, he said.

"We're state of the art, and we're doing something we can be proud of for the community," Krahn said.

Events at the fairgrounds could include rodeos, horse shows, boxing and Western shows.

Supervisor Pete Livermore said the new fairgrounds looks great and it will help establish events again in Carson City.

The city used to have a fair, he said, and the fairgrounds could help create excitement to do that again.

Another part of the new fairgrounds the parks department hopes to start building in late 2009 is a one-acre fishing pond.

The pond is expected to cost between $700,000 and $800,000, and the parks department is close to getting enough money for it, Krahn said.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife is working with the city on the pond, and department acting biologist Mark Warren said rainbow trout will be raised in Mason Valley to stock the pond all year.

The fish will be about eight inches, he said, and people will be able to catch three at a time.

Several urban fishing ponds have been set up in the Reno area, he said, and are good places for clinics and people who aren't able to get out of town to fish.

- Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.