The Facility
The Lubbock County Expo Center will feature an arena, warm-up area, exhibit hall and covered horse stalls.
Arena
The arena will play host to a number of events from rodeos to concerts to motocross and feature the following:
- Permanent seating between 5,000 and 6,000
Floor seating of 750-1,000 for concerts and other special events - Climate controlled with large fans
- State-of-the-art sound, Wi-Fi and lighting
- A 125-foot x 250-foot arena floor
- Approximately 185,000 sq. ft.
- Dirt floor compatibility, if requested
- Adequate concessions and restrooms
Exhibit Hall
- Consisting of two 25,000 sq. ft. buildings to be either side-by-side or end-to-end, to be determined by future planning
- Concrete floor
- Host multi-purpose livestock events, trade shows, equipment shows, large banquets, etc.
- Equipped with portable pens and stalls for various livestock events
- Equipped with portable showring and bleachers
- Heated with large fans for ventilation
- Drop-down electrical and state-of-the-art sound system
- Adequate restrooms and concessions
Warm Up Area
- Approximately 20,000 sq. ft.
- Located adjacent to arena and exhibit hall to be used in conjunction with certain events
- Concrete floor, with dirt available to be added or removed per requested event
- Heated with large fans for ventilation
- Adequate restrooms
Covered Horse Stalls
- Approximately 60,000 sq. ft.
- Equipped with 300 10×10 portable horse stalls
- Large fans for ventilation
- State-of-the-art sound and electrical
- Dirt floor compatibility, if requested
- Adequate restrooms
The How
The Lubbock County Expo Center will be a public/private partnership funded facility, with some funding coming from hotel tax revenue and about half of the funding coming from private donations. The LCEC is a 501c3 non-profit, making donations tax-deductible.
Lubbock County voters passed Proposition A in the November 2018 election, raising the hotel occupancy tax (HOT) by 2-percent to fund a $50 million bond. Construction of the LCEC will not involve any County property tax. This facility will be funded by tourism dollars.
The Who
Lubbock County Expo Center Board
CHAIRMAN: Randy Jordan
Executive Vice President of Western Bank
TREASURER: Bret Lamkin
Owner of Bledsoe Insurance, former Chairman of the Lubbock County Jr. Livestock Show Board
Rob Allison
Retired City Planner for the City of Lubbock
Tanya Foerster
Director of Advertising and Communication, Capital Farm Credit of Lubbock
Mark Putman
ABC Rodeo Board Member
Ray Short
ABC Rodeo Board Member
John Weathers
Retired Vocational Ag Teacher at Lubbock Cooper ISD
Jay Winter
Owner of Wintex Farms in Idalou and former Swine Superintendent of the San Antonio Livestock Show