North Dakota bill allocates $100K for fairgrounds improvements

A new bill in North Dakota could provide up to $100,000 for improvements at the Stutsman County Fairgrounds. House Bill 1591 aims to create a grant program for county agriculture fair associations, addressing aging facilities and infrastructure needs. The bill, which passed the House with a 74-16 vote, would allocate $3 million for matching grants from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027. Each county fair association must provide local matching funds for the grant. Concerns have been raised about the one-to-one matching requirement, which may limit access for smaller fairs. Some officials suggest a tiered approach to ensure all fairs can benefit from the funding.