Sioux Center, Iowa — The construction of the new Sioux County airport near Maurice has paved the way for a new place for the Sioux County Fair.
The Sioux County Fair Board has been leasing property from the city of Sioux Center for many years. But the City has given the fair board notice that it wants the property back. So the fair and the saddle club that also uses the property will need to move.
When the new airport (a joint project by Sioux Center, Orange City, and Sioux County) was commissioned in November 2018, the old Sioux Center Airport near Carmel was decomissioned and became excess property. The Sioux Center City Council has now approved the sale of the former Sioux Center Airport to Sioux County, for the planned use as a future location for the Sioux County fairgrounds and other activities.
The Council agreed to sell the 78.56 acres to Sioux County for $1 million, to potentially be developed as the new fairgrounds and equestrian site. In addition, the Council pledged to purchase a number of buildings on the site for $250,000, the goal being to assist and contribute toward the project of developing the site for the Sioux County Youth Fair, the Sioux County Saddle Club, and other entities.
Sioux Center City Manager Scott Wynja says that the City is excited about the opportunity to work with Sioux County to repurpose the old municipal airport for the future Sioux County Youth Fair and potentially the Sioux County Saddle Club. He says that the City Council sees “great benefit of working and utilizing this property for another great public purpose and were happy to facilitate an arrangement that works for all parties involved.”
Members of the City Council and staff have been working with the Sioux County Board of Supervisors to help consider locations for the Sioux County Youth Fair and the Saddle Club. The former airport property is about 1 1/2 miles north of Sioux Center and about ½ mile west, on 360th Street. The sale agreement includes the buildings and the home on the property as well as the land.
Sioux Center Mayor David Krahling says, “I love that the property is going back to a public use.”
The agreement approved by the City Council includes a stipulation that, if the land is sold again in the next 10 years over the value of $13,000 per acre, the City and County would split proceeds above that rate.
