Editor's note: This story was originally published in the .
The 22.5 acre in Belleville will soon have new ownership.
The Belleville City Council and St. Clair County Board voted Thursday night in separate meetings to approve an intergovernmental agreement to purchase the property for $2.35 million. It was for $2.4 million earlier this year.
St. Clair County is covering the cost with federal COVID-related relief funds from the American Rescue Plan. That鈥檚 because the county wants to use the property for emergency services, as well as continued hospitality and tourism, according to County Board Chairman Mark Kern.
鈥淚 think this is a good day for the county ... The main purpose of this is to be able to provide a place should there be a disaster in the county,鈥� Kern said. 鈥淭his is the only facility in St. Clair County that would suffice. It has the size and the capabilities.
鈥淒uring the pandemic, we had over 100,000 vaccinations given by the county (at the fairgrounds). We know it can provide the opportunity we need should there be a major incident.鈥�
After a 15-minute closed session discussion, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the agreement at a 6 p.m. special meeting. Three aldermen were absent, including Ward 1鈥檚 Joe Hazel, Ward 2鈥檚 Jamie Eros and Ward 3鈥檚 Kent Randle.
The city of Belleville will own one out of 51 shares of stock in Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park Inc., the corporation through which the property operates. The county will own the rest.
鈥淭he county is going to actually be buying it,鈥� Belleville Mayor Patty Gregory said. 鈥淭he city鈥檚 role will be what it鈥檚 always been, to continue with police and fire protection, and also I鈥檓 sure there will be times when, with the events, we will have input and we will be actively helping with marketing.鈥�
The St. Clair County Board鈥檚 finance committee also discussed the agreement for 15 minutes behind closed doors at a 5:30 p.m. special meeting before recommending that the full board sign it. The board鈥檚 closed session discussion at a 7 p.m. special meeting lasted less than 10 minutes.
County Board District 13鈥檚 Stephen Reeb was absent. Three board members voted against the agreement, including District 20鈥檚 Ed Cockrell, District 24鈥檚 Kevin Dawson and District 19鈥檚 Phil Henning.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 expect anybody in this room to do this deal with their money,鈥� Cockrell said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 do it with my money. I wouldn鈥檛 ask anybody to do that. I just don鈥檛 think the taxpayers of St. Clair County should do this with their money.鈥�
Gregory and Kern verified that will continue to function as an event center with no interruption for events already scheduled.
Events such as a monthly flea market and craft shows currently take place at the fairgrounds. It has also been the home of the St. Clair County Fair and Ainad Shriners Circus.
Gregory called the property acquisition a 鈥渨in-win situation, especially with the anticipation of remodeling.鈥� She said it鈥檚 good for the city because of economic activity and sales taxes generated by the fairgrounds.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited about the possibilities,鈥� the mayor said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e accomplishing so many things in the city because of our relationship with the county. It鈥檚 really helping the city move forward in a positive direction.鈥�
According to the real estate listing, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center includes a 58,919-square-foot steel building with a bar and kitchen and a 3-acre dirt race track with two grandstands.
The listing states that the property was rehabbed in 1980.
Teri Maddox and Lexi Cortes are reporters with the , a news partner of 漏 2024 外网天堂.
