The details
An online survey—which gauged responses from community members, industry experts and rodeo attendees—was held through Sept. 17 and shared with Bastrop City Council during a Sept. 23 meeting.
“The vast majority said they wanted a covered arena,” Bastrop City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino said during the meeting. “They said they wanted trails, trees and greenery because it was much too hot out there. They said they want RV hookups and wash racks, and an improved community atmosphere.”
Other improvements discussed included:
- Concession, seating and restroom upgrades
- Paved or stabilized parking areas
- Signage and lighting for spectators and participants
- Diverse event programming, such as concerts, festivals and markets
- Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility
Zooming in
Mayor Pro Tem John Kirkland questioned how much additional seating will be needed.
“If we're going to have concerts and we want to attract an artist of a certain caliber, how many, you know, do we need to be able to get 5,000 people in there?” he said.
For Place 2 council member Cynthia Meyer, the demand is there for a figure that high.
“On the Saturday night of the Bastrop Homecoming & Rodeo, there were 4,000 people there,” she said. “They were not all sitting down. So we need to base the demand on what people are doing now.”
The Rodeo Arena currently seats 1,724, according to city officials.
Some background
Bastrop City Council hosted a town hall Sept. 3—a meeting that was spurred after members called for an amendment to the “Experience Bastrop” Parks Master Plan for Mayfest Park.
Margaret Staton—a 12-year-old who competes in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping—was among the many who voiced her desire to see the Rodeo Arena revamped.
“I have the privilege of traveling around the state and sometimes the country, competing at great facilities where the citizens of those towns have proud ownership of their facility,” she said. “I know having a facility of this magnitude would bring a great joy and opportunity to not only the competitors that live in Bastrop but to all citizens.”
Staton, whose grandfather helped weld the Rodeo Arena and whose father helped paint the arena fence, discussed how several residents would reap the benefits of an improved facility for the Bastrop Homecoming & Rodeo.
“People say the Western way of life is dying, but I have seen firsthand towns much smaller than Bastrop turn into bigger cities when events come to town,” she said. “Thousands of contestants, along with family members and friends, come to see the show, buy fuel and fill up hotels.”
The outlook
A feasibility study for improvements to the Rodeo Arena at Mayfest Park is expected to be completed in the next two weeks, according to city officials.
Next steps include:
- Take amendments to Planning and Zoning Commission for approval Oct. 3
- Hold a public hearing and have the first reading at Bastrop City Council on Oct. 28
- Hold a second reading at Bastrop City Council on Nov. 11
