Let’s do an honest reset on the current situation: Vast amounts of acreage tied up with a horseracing operation in need of millions of dollars of repair. Even though it is presently backed by a group of well-heeled investors, even rich folks get tired of losing money in pretty short order. Ada County’s answer–gambling!!–a predatory industry taking advantage of the very citizens that the Commissioners purport to serve. This is private industry holding court on public property and sharing one-quarter of one percent of the revenue north of $10 million. Can and should we expect better? Just look at the baseball/softball fields on the SW part of the property. This is Boise, Idaho! We can’t grow grass? Really? Why can’t those fields be maintained in a way that they are something we are all proud of, as opposed to an utter embarrassment and disgrace? I could go on, and on, and on about the current use(s).

Could the Greater Boise Auditorium District work with the County to build a convention/exhibit facility? A hotel? Could they host regional agricultural trade shows? What if the County had worked with the newly formed College of Western Idaho shortly after the levy was passed by voters? Could the County have leased existing parcels of land to CWI for 99 years at below market rates and used the money to improve other parts of the property? Think about it. Lots of open space, plenty of parking, great access on state highways to the property, and a schedule that does not conflict with the traditional fair use.

Ask yourself, how is this valuable public asset currently being used? One answer is that during current air alerts when you can barely see the Foothills, car dealers from all around the Treasure Valley make literally hundreds, if not thousands, of trips in individual cars across the valley in order to park said cars at the Fairgrounds property so they can have “Car Wars”! I don’t want to speak for anyone else on the Council, but I am ready for the County to quit squatting on this valuable public asset, and start a conversation about the possibilities, the future, and what is in the best interest of the citizens of Ada County. I think we can all agree that the present situation leaves much to be desired with plenty of room for improvement.

EDITOR NOTE–Jeff, I don’t think we are that far apart. The piece was written 6 years ago and there have been only minor fixes. I think I suggested the Convention Center along with the Ag Heritage Park. Horse racing is not much of a year round venue and it sucks up lots of assets.

Right now, the fairgrounds complex needs a tune-up including the surrounding area. No Garden City you cannot have it for your own pleasure. The fairgrounds would have been better off locating to the area now occupied by the Village in Meridian, but that is a different story.

Fairs are still an important part of life. Meridian still has their dairy days even though the farm ground has given way to subdivisions. Canyon County wants to relocate the fairgrounds over difference of opinion between the county and the City of Caldwell. Twin Falls County needs to also improve their fairgrounds, so yes a overhaul is in order.

Declaring the land to be an “Indian Reservation” would be a good idea for them. Tribes have Tribal Sovereignty, which means that they and they alone would benefit as the tribe does not pay any taxes to the local and state governments. Tribes are also recognized as independent nations. I would actually support the Shoshone-Paiute tribe (closet tribe to Boise) building a casino in Boise. I am certain they would like it too.

I think that the County should declare the land to be an Indian Reservation (Tribe to be cooperatively determined) and said tribe(s) and County build a gambling casino on said site, also with a large parking garage, along with a free shuttle bus service to the State Capitol Building during the Session. This will certainly help both the State and County budgets, as well as the Tribal(s) and both Garden City and Boise City budget(s). I would even go further and suggest a joint Garden City and Boise Auditorium District be formed to charge a hotel room tax on off-site rooms adjacent to the Ada Casino for an “improvement district”, whose purpose can be determined by secret ballot at a later date.

This ballot shall be taken by the appointed Commissioners of the Joint Commission, whose members shall be selected by the Tribal Commission, the Ada County Commission, The Garden City Commission, The Boise city commission and two members at large selected from people using the Green Belt illegally within the restricted area within Garden City on the date of the election.

As a concession to the use of this former Public Space, atleast 1 % of any profit should be dedicated to drug and alcohol abuse education within the County of Ada per year and administered by the County Sheriff.
As a part of the agreement the Green Belt shall be ensured and extended throughout the entire length of this space, and maintained by the County until such time as the Casino is operating at level its buildings and grounds crew can take over, or in any case no later than 4 years.

The Tribal Council shall maintain an exhibit of Indian ponies within easy access for viewing by visitors in a non-fee area for educational purposes at its own expense.
The County, freed of the expense of maintaining this land should contribute an equal amount of monies to the ACHD each year for road and bridge improvement, adjusting for inflation.

Anyone who suggests that the County is responsible for sponsoring a fair at tax-payer expense shall be subjected to a public shaming by the Libertarian Party on the 3rd Saturday of odd-numbered months on the steps of the Ada County Courthouse at 12 noon. Improvements and additions to this accepted at any time.