By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Last week the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce announced the organization
was transferring ownership of two of the Expo buildings at the Expo Complex to
the City of Great Bend.
Construction started in the 1970s on the buildings as a way to attract a farm
show. Since the farm show relocated to Hutchinson this year, the Chamber is
losing money on the upkeep of the Expo I and Expo II buildings.
While the intent in the 1970s was to have the Chamber take ownership of the
buildings, no formal document states clearly who owns the buildings. Great Bend
Interim City Administrator Logan Burns said it is now up to the city how they
are going to manage the buildings.
"We went and took a look at the buildings Monday morning," said Burns. "That will be something we'll be discussing further for what our future holds in what we're wanting to do with those buildings."
Outside of the Barton County Fair, there is limited use of the Expo Complex
buildings, thus making utilities, insurance and maintenance outweigh the revenue.