Erin Hannon and Millie Darlington take practice laps around barrels on Wednesday afternoon at Brewer Arena as part of their preseason training. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post 
kirsten@ladailypost.com

Los Alamos County Project Manager Russell Naranjo laid it all out to County Council as it considered approving an approximately $2.8 million capital improvement project at Brewer Arena.

“We’re here tonight to talk about the bulls, the broncs, the steers, the rodeo clowns and announcers, ADA standards or lack thereof … and how all of these users play together in this playground that we call the Brewer Arena,” Russell said during the Feb. 10 work session.

This playground is in need of some improvements, he said.

“With the privilege of maintaining this facility comes a clear responsibility,” Naranjo said. “As stewards of public infrastructure, this council must ensure our facilities remain safe, functional and accessible to every member of our community. Brewer Arena, while historically valuable, currently contains significant accessibility deficiencies and safety concerns that limit equitable and inclusive public use.”

He noted that the arena lacks ADA designated parking, paths and restrooms. Furthermore, some portions of Brewer Arena have reached their end of life, which has led to their closure and demolition.

The improvements put before Council are proposed to fix these deficiencies.

And Council agreed. It unanimously approved the task order for the project.

As far as what is included in the project, Naranjo said the scope includes site work, a new pavilion and grandstand, modifications to the crow’s nest, improved ADA restrooms and a dedicated ADA parking area with pedestrian circulation for the parking lot and to the grandstand and restroom facilities.

Naranjo credited the Los Alamos Stable Owners Association (LASOA) and Equestrian and Livestock Working Group (ELWG) for sharing their knowledge of the arena’s daily operations as well as the annual rodeo and for offering their suggested improvements on the arena’s functionality.

The suggestions incorporated into the plan are: elevating the grandstand, having it setback from the arena and installing handrails. Another recommendation is to extend the grandstand’s roof to cover it entirely, remove HVAC from the crow’s nest as well as install 12-inch countertops and have operable sliding windows, awnings and shutters, and add more windows on the side. Naranjo said the two organizations also choose the material for the sidewalks, which will be chip seal.

Regarding the timeline for the project, Naranjo said once the task order is approved, materials will immediately be ordered in March and April. Construction will begin in May. It is expected that restrooms, sidewalks, ADA parking and crow’s nest will be completed in time for this year’s Fair and Rodeo. This means temporary bleachers will be needed for the 2026 Fair and Rodeo. It also was noted that despite the restrooms being completed, portable toilets will be required for the rodeo. The grandstand is anticipated to be completed for the 2027 rodeo.

The project has had a murky history. According to the County staff presentation, the design was done January through September 2025. In October 2025, LASOA and ELWG were able to weigh in on the project during a Parks and Recreation Board meeting for the first time. After several subsequent meetings, it was able to come to council for approval.

Councilor Theresa Cull and several members of the public commented that this project could have been completed sooner if LASOA’s and ELWG’s recommendations were accounted for earlier in the project.

“We spent 10 months designing this without that input,” she said. “I guess next time hopefully we’ll get the input during the design phase.”

LASOA and ELWG member Lisa Reader agreed.

“In the future, before hiring a consultant and before spending all that money and having them develop a plan that then comes out, we could have avoided so much of this had you not put the cart before the horse …,” she said.

LASOA President Wendy Burke-Ryan also expressed frustration at the County’s slow response to the equestrian community.

“I think it is so important that we learn from this and that the County actually pays attention to what we have to say,” she said.

Still, Burke-Ryan said she was enthusiastic to see the project moving forward.

“I’m thrilled for all of this to be in process now. Yeahhh!”