Canyon County just finished a $7.6 million events venue. You can rent it for $3,000 a day

This year’s Canyon County Fair was set to begin on Thursday, when the forecast called for yet another extremely hot day. But for the first time, exhibitors and fair patrons would be able to enjoy many exhibits in air-conditioned comfort.

Canyon County finally finished working on a $7.6 million events venue just in time for patrons to get out of the heat.

The Center , at 110 County Fair Ave. in Caldwell, is a 45,000-square-foot exposition building, the latest addition to the Caldwell Events Center . It includes a 30,000 square-foot expo hall, indoor and outdoor meeting spaces and new offices for the fair, according to a press release.

It was partly paid by Canyon County’s 2022 budget, county spokesperson Chad Thompson told the Idaho Statesman by phone. Caldwell’s Urban Renewal Agency and the city of Caldwell contributed $2.4 million, County Commissioner Leslie Van Beek said through a spokesperson.

Other events that will be hosted at The Center include the Caldwell Night Rodeo, Simplot Stadium events and activities at the College of Idaho.

The Center was built in 2022 and already has hosted some events in its unfinished state.

The Center is also available for public rental. The expo hall can be rented for $3,000 a day from Friday through Sunday, according to the Canyon County Fair website . A weekday rental is $2,500. The lobby’s rental is $500 per day, and a single meeting room’s rental is $250 per day.

The rentals’ revenue will help pay for the construction and operation of The Center over the next few years, Thompson said.

Canyon County saw the need to build a large venue that could be used year-round for community events, Thompson said.

Most of the Canyon County Fair used to be hosted outdoors. The Southwest Idaho county “wanted something that was a little bit more suitable and temperature-controlled so people wouldn’t be out there in the heat every year,” Thompson said.

This year, the fair was set to have about 30 vendors in The Center, including artistic, political and agricultural booths.

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