Rodeo fans at this weekend’s rodeo will be seated in aluminum bleachers, one at each end of the Brewer Arena grandstand in place of the grandstand, which has been declared structurally unsound and is now closed. Photo courtesy of LAC

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
[email protected]

Los Alamos County officials announced Monday that the grandstand at Brewer Arena on North Mesa has been deemed “unsafe for public use” and has been closed. It will not be available for the County Rodeo on Aug. 3 and 4, but the event will go on as planned.

“We have contracted with Wilson & Company, an engineering and architectural firm, to assess Brewer Arena as part of a project to modernize it, including bringing it into compliance with the American Disabilities Act,” Cory Styron, director of the county Community Services Department, told the Los Alamos Reporter in an email Monday afternoon. “The Wilson & Company team inspected the facility on May 31, but it was not until a 3 p.m. meeting on Thursday, July 25 that we received feedback on their findings.”

Styron said during the virtual meeting that the structural engineer advised the county that the grandstand was structurally defective and would have to be closed. He said the news was unexpected and that his staff was surprised. He would not reveal what exactly was identified as the problem.

“With just nine days to go until the Los Alamos County Fair & Rodeo, my team was scrambling to find several options to ensure the rodeo events could go on as planned. By Friday afternoon, they had successfully secured aluminum bleachers to replace the main grandstand, preventing the event from being canceled.”

A press release from the province advises visitors to “prepare for limited shade by bringing an umbrella or UVA protective clothing, wearing sunscreen and a hat, and bringing plenty of water to stay hydrated during the event.”

“The safety of our community and visitors is our top priority and we appreciate the public’s understanding and cooperation,” Styron said.

Although Wilson & Company visited the stands on May 31, Styron said after a thorough assessment as part of the County’s Brewer Arena Upgrade Project that began earlier this year,
A month later, the company determined that the grandstand was structurally defective and ordered it to be closed.

“Staff continues to work with Wilson and Company as part of the project to address this and other concerns identified during the assessment,” Styron said. “We will be holding a Zoom meeting on August 7 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the assessment and gather community feedback on the grandstand project. This is an opportunity for the community to hear directly from the contractor about the issues found and discuss solutions. Look for the details of the Zoom call later this week.”

For more information, please email Styron at [email protected].

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