EAGLE, Idaho — For almost a quarter century, The Eagle Rodeo has been throwing down in the small town of Eagle.
But on Tuesday, June 9, Eagle City Council voted to terminate the five-year lease agreement with the rodeo two years early. Forcing the Eagle Rodeo to find a new location for the third time.
A look back at former rodeo locations
The throw-downs were first done close to downtown in an empty field by the highway for about a decade and a half.
Growth and development pushed them to Avimor for five years before the sprawl of that community squeezed them out.
Two years ago, they were allowed to use another piece of property out west, along Highway 16. They signed a five-year lease with the city.
But last month, the city of eagle wouldn't let them use part of that property for parking at this year's rodeo because the city needed the space to store construction materials for its Regional Sports Comple project.
That restriction resulted in them losing out on about $150,000 because they had to limit ticket sales, rodeo officials told KTVB.
And now, like being stomped on by a saddle bronc, the rodeo is again a victim of an expanding city, with Eagle terminating the lease for that land.
The Rodeo was shocked to hear the news.
"It (this year) went great. You know, we had great attendance numbers for you know, having to limit it," Rodeo Director, Michael Gallegos, told KTVB.
He said that when he and the other directors attended Tuesday's meeting, they thought the discussion would be a recap of this year's rodeo.
"To find out that they to see it, proposed to terminate our lease and actually see them vote on it. It was, it was surprising," Gallegos said. "We didn't think it would happen after year two, that's for sure."
Sport Complex plans begin
Eagle Mayor Brad Pike said the decision came based on plans pushing along for build of the regional sports complex on that land.
Phase 1 of the project is slated to begin Spring 2025, he told KTVB. It will bring various field and courts, so the rodeo can't stay.
"We had to make a decision whether or not to try to continue it, and then last minute, maybe, with construction issues, cut it off," Mayor Pike said. "We just don't have the same space available any longer."
Where will the rodeo go?
"The biggest thing was just the communication side of it, just reaching out to us and communicating and try to help us out, too." Gallegos.
He said the rodeo was frustrating, and the decision came as a blindside.
KTVB asked Mayor Pike if city leaders told rodeo organizers their lease could be terminated this year. While the recap was on the agenda, he said he didn't know what a "lease termination" would be.
"I felt like we've had numerous meetings prior to this year's rodeo, and we had daily conversations with them during the rodeo, and we had a follow up meeting with them post rodeo," Mayor Pike said. "There's no way we could tell somebody, something... we don't know what the city council is going to decide."
Gallegos knew they couldn't stay there forever. But the end came sooner than they expected.
"We started looking for other places, because we knew if we did make it to the five-year lease, we'd have to go somewhere," Gallegos said.
Now pushed out for the fourth time to due to development in a rapidly growing area... the rodeo now has to find another new home.
"It's hard to find a flat area in this immediate part of the valley here, where we're trying to stay, that isn't being developed," Gallegos said.
He added moving a rodeo isn't easy.
But wherever they find next, they're determined to stay for good, he said.
"The rodeo is going to happen... I'm being a major optimistic on that, but we don't see the rodeo not happening," Gallegos said.
Mayor Pike added the city wants to continue its relationship with the rodeo.
"If they find a location within the city limits, we are ready to have a discussion on that and see what we can do with setting up a successful lease agreement again," Mayor Pike said.