City council is deferring a decision on funding half of a nearly $40 million capital improvement project at the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede grounds.

The postponement is in anticipation of release of a provincial report on funding regional fairs which council may or may not be able to access, council heard Monday.

“We’re waiting for a study that we won’t even probably possess and I don’t know. . . what difference is it going to make if we don’t get the study,” Coun. Andy McGrogan asked during debate on the issue. “And I don’t know what impact it will have on a decision on whether we need a grandstand or not and whatever else is going on.”

Council heard that provincial study on funding regional agricultural societies will likely see access limited with the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture indicating it won’t be released publicly. The report assessing financial sustainability of regional agricultural societies was launched in July 2024 and conducted by Deloitte.

In a media conference on Tuesday morning, Exhibition & Stampede general manager Ron Edwards cast doubt on whether the report will make a difference.

“It’s been over four years since we’ve been at this. I’ve done four or five presentations on this to council. I’ve been through three city managers, two or three managers of public services and so to postpone (the vote) for the reasons they gave was kind of – I don’t know where they got their information from but I’m not sure that’s the right information,” said Edwards.

“To wait for the Deloitte report coming out in two weeks, that’s absolutely news to me.”

Edwards anticipates whatever information is shared by the province regarding funding won’t come out until after the spring budget is announced.

While there were questions about the province’s commitment to fund 40 per cent of the revitalization of the rodeo grounds’ grandstands during Monday’s council meeting, both Edwards and Exhibition & Stampede board chair Lori Siedlecki said that was still in place.

 Siedlecki also expressed a mixed reaction to council’s decision to postpone a decision.

“It was definitely was not what the board – I guess the outcome is not what we were hoping for,” she said Tuesday. “However, we feel hopeful with (council’s) proposals, scenarios, suggestions they have that they are willing to work with us and we can hopefully come up with a decision together.”

During Monday’s council meeting, councillors also expressed frustration with their inability to make a decision, though, Coun. Robert Dumanowski was the only vote against further delay.

Dumanowski said Monday the Exhibition & Stampede has been responsive to council’s requests and, “every hurdle that the city has put before them over many years. . .This has been a multi-year saga.”

Coun. Allison Knodel voted in favour of the delay but also expressed anxiety about the process.

“I have sincere concerns about the financial management of this organization and the lack of data that’s been provided,” Knodel said Monday.

But she added, “I’m at the point where I’m ready to support the stampede board, regardless of risk. We as a community need to see a success story.”

Council has been provided financial details of the Exhibition & Stampede while it was presented last year with an economic report on the impact of the organization to the community.

Edwards said the city has worked collaboratively with Exhibition & Stampede in the past with the development of the Cypress Centre which acted as a municipal field house for two decades prior to the expansion of the Big Marble Go Centre.

He added he sees no barriers standing in the way of building on that successful relationship in addressing the requirements of the city’s largest annual event.

Regardless of the city’s decision to support the Exhibition and Stampede, Siedlecki said the north grandstand will likely be required to come down sometime in the next 12 to 18 months.

The revitalization initiative would fund the replacement of that grandstand, refurbishment of the south grandstand, replace the kitchen facilities and double meeting room capacity to 500 people.