Work on the rodeo arena at the Missouri Valley Fairgrounds is expected to start this weekend with expectations of hosting a North Dakota High School Rodeo at the end of May.

What's left of the former Missouri Valley Complex Authority - Burleigh County commissioner Marlan Haakenson, and county park board members Dave Bement and Dwayne Wahl - met with members of the rodeo club and 4-H Extension Friday morning.

Russ Schirado said he and other volunteers will be at the arena site this morning to begin work. They will be staking out areas for fire hydrants along with preparing the grounds. Bleachers have been purchased from Capital Construction at the cost of $1,000. The bleachers are being taken out of the VFW Sport Center.

There was some discussion on the need for liability insurance and what fees might be charged for events. It was noted that most events sponsors have to get their own insurance.

Haakenson said the county will probably want coverage for its interests and he will inquire with the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund to see what will be needed.

There was some squabbling over what the county might charge for user fees and some terse discussion over layout of the arena.

Last year it had been decided to place the bleachers on the south side of the arena, but Haakenson suggested they be put on the west side. Jerry Doan said the rodeo club had thought about that, but it was too expensive for them to move the lighting. Doan also wants to keep user fees as low as possible to encourage use of the fairgrounds.

Schirado is worried that if the layout for the arena is changed they won't have enough time to get the facility ready for the high school rodeo. It was finally decided to go ahead as originally planned and then later change the layout to put the bleachers on the west side.

Haakenson said the county had been offered about $500,000 for fairground property that the county had put up for sale, but it came with the conditions the county bring in water and sewer.

"We have no estimates on how much that will cost yet," Haakenson said.

The county commissioner also noted that the company making the offer was being secretive on what it wants to construct on the property which it wants rezoned industrial.

"I don't think the county should be allowing something that is not conducive to the fairgrounds," Haakenson said. "I want to know exactly what will be put there. We have to be careful on what the land is sold for."

The county commission has approved a motion that any of the revenues from fairground land that is sold will be put back into development of the fairgrounds.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)