Burleigh County will move forward on plans to sell a portion of the fairgrounds and reinvest revenues in its development despite the misgivings of the commission's new chairman, Marlan Haakenson.

The commission approved having a professional appraisal done on the property and marketing the land in expectations of a sale on a 4 to 1 vote with Haakenson casting the lone dissent. He objected to having all of the revenue dedicated to improving the remaining fairgrounds property.

This came after Burleigh Park Board member Dwayne Wahl provided an alternative involving the fairgrounds and the McDowell Recreation area. While commissioners indicated the idea has merit, they said it is coming too late in the process.

Wahl gives credit for the idea to his son and feels it makes a lot of sense so he decided to bring it to the attention of the commission. He suggested selling all of the property that makes up the Missouri Valley Complex better known as the fairgrounds and using those funds to turn the McDowell Recreation area into the new fairgrounds.

Provisions could be made to leave Buckstop Junction and the Extension and 4-H venues in place if they so desire, according to Wahl, but the rest would be rebuilt at McDowell.

Wahl maintains that the fairgrounds property has become too valuable to develop as envisioned and will have limited future expansion. By reinvesting revenues in McDowell, Burleigh would have solutions to two problems.

"Why not put the fairgrounds out at McDowell? It's not that far out there and the way Bismarck is expanding the city will soon be out there," Wahl said. "By selling off some of the fairgrounds now, you're closing off every avenue for expansion of the fairgrounds, that hasn't even been built yet. As the area grows the fairground is going to need back that property you sell, but you won't have it. If Buckshot Junction wants to stay work something out with them. If the people at 4-H want to stay, work something out for them. The rest you subdivide and sell. Now you've cured everything and you have enough money for McDowell."

Haakenson expressed it was certainly worth discussing and admitted he has never thought about the prospect.

Commissioner Doug Schonert also said it provides food for thought.

"But I think there will be a lot of resistance from the public if we sell this," Schonert added. "The people have been expecting something for years and years. Now we're at the point of making something happen."

Commissioner Jim Peluso said the Missouri Valley Complex isn't being developed in the manner most people think of fairgrounds.

"I've talked to several people about why we're building the fairgrounds. Their idea of a county fairgrounds is a two- week event held in the summer. We're looking at something for outdoor type activities like motor sports," Peluso said. "I don't disagree with Dwayne's proposal, it does provide food for thought. But I think we need something closer, more accessible to Bismarck. McDowell is not that visible. A lot of planning has been done and I think we should move forward on it."

Peluso also suggested that the Bismarck Park District, which the county currently contracts with for management of both the fairgrounds and McDowell, should handle the sale of the property, though it would be up to the commission on how the money was used.

This met with resistance from Schonert, commissioner Jerry Woodcox and Haakenson.

"I'm not in favor of turning it over to the park district for the land sale," Schonert said. "The complex authority needs to come forward on how much they need and we'll help fund it. But we need to move forward. We have a sign out there (land for sale sign) but the auditor doesn't know what to tell those expressing interest. I think we need to get an appraisal and market it."

"I agree with commissioner Schonert. We've been twiddling our thumbs for six months. We should sell the portion of property we've talked about," Woodcox said. "Any funding coming from the sale will be dedicated to the Missouri Valley Complex. We know we need infrastructure out there - water, sewer, electricity if we're to continue to move forward. It may cost a million and a half or more, but we need to get it started."

Woodcox put his proposal in the form of a motion that Haakenson opposed, debating whether dedicating all the revenue was appropriate and feeling some could be better used for some sort of tax relief. But the motion passed.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 701-250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)