Rodeo fans at this weekend’s rodeo will be seated in aluminum bleachers, one on each end of the grandstand at Brewer Arena in lieu of the grandstand, which has been declared not structurally sound and is now closed. Photo Courtesy LAC
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
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 Aug. 3-4, however the event will continue as planned.
“We contracted with Wilson & Company, an engineering and architecture firm to assess the Brewer Arena as part of a project to update it, including making it compliant with the American Disabilities Act,” County Community Services Department Director Cory Styron told the Los Alamos Reporter in an email Monday afternoon. “The Wilson & Company team inspected the facility on May 31, however, it wasn’t until a meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 25, that we received any feedback on their findings”
Styron said during the virtual meeting, the structural engineer advised the County that the grandstand was not structurally sound and should be closed. He said this news was unexpected and that his staff was surprised. He dd not reveal what exactly was identified as the problem.
“With only nine days remaining until the Los Alamos County Fair & Rodeo, my team urgently explored various options to ensure the rodeo events could proceed as planned. By Friday afternoon, they successfully secured aluminum bleachers to replace the grandstand, thus avoiding the need to cancel the event.”
A news release from the County advises attendees to “prepare for limited shade by bringing an umbrella or UVA protective gear, wearing sunscreen and hats, and bringing plenty of water to stay hydrated during the event”.
“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 grandstand May 31, Styron said after a thorough assessment, as part of the County’s Brewer Arena Upgrade Project that began earlier this
month, the company determined the grandstand was structurally unsound and ordered it closed.
“Staff continues working with Wilson and Company as part of the project to address this and other identified concerns during the assessment,” Styron said. “We will be holding a Zoom meeting at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 7 to discuss the assessment and gather feedback from the community on the grandstand project. This is an opportunity for the community to hear directly from the contractor about the issues found and talk about solutions. Look for the details of the Zoom call later this week.”
For more information, email Styron at cory.styron@lacnm.us.