Paso Robles Event Center to buy most of Pioneer Park

The Paso Robles Event Center is preparing to purchase most of Pioneer Park — the first step toward a planned expansion of the center.

The city will sell about 6 acres of the 6.8-acre park to the event center, said Meg Williamson, assistant city manager. The event center — home of the California Mid-State Fair — will own most of the land east of the Pioneer Museum, including a softball field and basketball court, Williamson said.

Paso Robles will likely maintain the field and court for three years, until the city can build replacements, Williamson said. The nonprofit museum — which owns the land the museum sits on — and the skate park will remain, she said.

The event center and the city are finishing up negotiations, and the deal should go before the City Council in October, Williamson said. The price being negotiated was not released.

The sale will allow the event center to expand, in spite of its “landlocked” state, and also prompt the city to invest in “new and improved” recreational facilities, Williamson said.

“It’s kind of a win-win,” she said.

Michael Bradley, who became fair CEO this year, said he’s not certain what the new space will be used for, but that it could eventually be a location for fair activities or support services.

“As a smart business, you always look for opportunities,” he said.

The fair’s board of directors will meet later in September to develop strategic and master plans for the event center facility, Bradley said. Future goals include expanding the number of activities held at the event center, particularly Mondays through Thursdays, he said.

Bradley also said he’d like to see the facility partner with Paso Robles hotels and restaurants to attract events, which would benefit all involved. Trade shows, meetings, creative programming for technology companies and more equine events could all be held at the space in the future, he said.

Williamson said the city is eager to help the event center grow in any way possible.

“We see the benefit of the event center as an economic engine in our community,” she said.

This story was originally published September 5, 2016 at 7:10 PM with the headline "Paso Robles Event Center to buy most of Pioneer Park."