Curry County Events Center under fire

Curry County Commissioner Seth Martin said Tuesday he’s interested in parting ways with the management group overseeing the Curry County Events Center and Fairgrounds.

Martin and other county officials were critical of the management team Oak View Group 360 after hearing a summary of the fiscal year’s performance – a loss to taxpayers of more than $850,000.

Events Center Manager K.C. Messick spoke to commissioners at their regular meeting Tuesday, summarizing the Event Center’s fiscal year, which ended June 30.

Among the numbers he presented:

• The Events Center generated over $820,000 in gross revenue.

• It had 98 event days.

• It received over $51,800 in sponsorship revenue.

• There was a “net loss to the county” of $765,644. Adding to that figure was a management fee of $92,027 – a $857,671 loss overall.

Following Messick’s presentation, Commissioner Martin asked County Attorney Dan Mackey to examine the contract with Oak View Group 360, which manages the Events Center. Martin said he’s interested in terminating the agreement.

Commissioners did not directly express concerns to Messick during the meeting. After the meeting, Martin told The News: “It’s disturbing to pay somebody to lose $1 million for Curry County.”

County Manager Lance Pyle also expressed concerns in an interview with The News.

“The county trusted OVG 360 and Mr. Messick as our manager of the Events Center and fairgrounds to stay within budget and minimize the loss to the County,” Pyle wrote in a text message.

“There is no excuse to overspend the operating budget by $118,376 that resulted in the OVG 360 operating the events center and fairgrounds at a loss of $857,671.52 last fiscal year.

“We recognize the facility will not make a profit, but our management company should be working to minimize the loss versus increasing it. Something has to change, this cannot continue.”

Messick directed questions to his employer, Oak View Group 360, which provided a written statement.

“The Curry County Events Center and Fairgrounds is a valuable community asset and a significant partnership for us. We are working with the County to identify the best strategies for enhancing productivity and operational efficiency to address budget concerns.

“In the short term, additional corporate resources are assisting us in navigating this process.”

Commissioner Bradley Bender told The News after the meeting that he “has questions.”

“Events centers are supposed to provide things for us to do.

In doing so it should bring better revenue to area hotels, restaurants and other retail establishments,” Bender said.

“(Y)ou have to mitigate your loses to make it suitable for the county and the constituents.”

Commissioner Dusty Leatherwood said he is “somewhere between Seth and Brad” on costs associated with the Events Center.

“I know these deals don’t make money. They provide a place to go.

Their design is to draw people to the community to get people to spend money in the community.”

Leatherwood continued, “The city makes more money off the taxes on these visitors. The city benefits more than the county. I’m not bashing the city, it’s just a fact.

“Taxpayers elected us to be good stewards of their money.

We need to be better at managing this deal (events center),” Leatherwood said.

Curry County Public Services Director Ben Roberts said Events Center losses have grown each of the past three years. Losses were far less during the COVID-19 pandemic but nearly doubled between Fiscal Year 2019 and FY 2024 – from about $400,000 to almost $800,000.

In other business:

• Commissioners heard a report on the county road department from Road Superintendent Walon Jones.

Jones said there’s an equipment operator position open in the department as well as a general maintenance position.

• Commissioners learned the county successfully obtained a state grant and anticipate a federal grant to total $62,042 to cover the cost of picnic tables and shelter at The Honorable Judge Reuben E. Nieves Courtyard across Main Street from the county courthouse complex.

• Commissioners voted to distribute $68,118 of Cannabis Excise Tax Funds: $54,618 to the Curry County Sheriff’s Department for rifles and accessories for deputies, $5,000 for the county substance abuse program for promotional items and $8,500 for the county internet technology department for a new server.

• Commissioners briefly discussed what they termed poor attendance at last week’s Professional Armed Forces Rodeo Association event at the Curry County Events Center.

Leatherwood said he believed poor attendance was due to the event happening at the same time as the Air Force ball and the Eastern New Mexico University rodeo.

• Pyle reported to commissioners a draft agreement between the city of Clovis and Curry County has been created regarding Clovis Area Transit System service to areas outside the Clovis city limits.

• Commission Chair Robert Thornton called on county administrators to press the New Mexico Department of Transportation to establish traffic control at the intersection of Curry Road G and US 60/70/84 after a major wreck there Labor Day that resulted in multiple injuries.

• Proclamations were issued for making September “National Recovery Month” in Curry County, Oct. 6-12 as “Fire Prevention Week” in Curry County and Oct. 6-12 as “National 4-H Week” in Curry County.

After that presentation, Leatherwood called for more widespread knowledge of 4-H.

“I wish the entire community would get more involved in 4-H. … 4-H makes leaders,” Leatherwood said.

• A special meeting of the Commission is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Commission chambers, 417 Gidding. Pyle said the agenda included a proposal to award a contract for improvements at the county fairgrounds livestock pavilion.

• The next regular commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 22 at the Texico Fire Department.