Will BMF and Other Expo Idaho Events Have to Move?

Every summer, tens of thousands of Treasure Valley residents pack Expo Idaho for Boise Music Festival (and other events throughout the year).  Now, that could be changing if Expo Idaho goes away.

You've probably heard that discussion has been underway about the future of the 240 acre Expo Idaho grounds.  Developers have expressed interest in the land which has been determined to be appealing for mixed-use growth as the Valley population continues to boom.  The decision to sell the area is far from a foregone conclusion though.

Last night, the group exploring options for Expo Idaho's future held another meeting to advance the process of a recommendation for the future of the site.  That group, the Expo Idaho Citizens' Advisory Committee, is made up of 17 members and will be reporting to Ada County Commissioners about the future of the fairgrounds.  The county commissioners launched the group late last year to help explore the "best use" for the property.

The property includes the fairgrounds, Ls Bois Park, Memorial Stadium, and backs up to the Greenbelt.  Ada county already has plans in place to remove the aspects focused on horse racing since it is no longer hosted at Les Bois and the video racing initiatives were rejected.

The Idaho Statesman recapped the meeting and their coverage shows that the public comments and tone of the meeting was much more broad than just the potential of the fairgrounds being sold and relocated.  Instead, community members urged consideration of how the area could benefit the most residents, parking and traffic concerns, and more diverse usage of existing resources.