Majestic Valley put up for sale

Story by JIM MANN/Inter Lake

The Majestic Valley Arena will close at the end of the year, and it has been put on the market for sale, owners Bob and Janice Parker confirmed Friday.

The closure, however, is considered temporary - depending on economic conditions - and a sale of the property is not certain, the Parkers said.

"It's for sure that this winter we are going dark," Janice Parker said, explaining that high fuel costs over the summer dampened participation in the arena's bread-and-butter equine events.

Participants haul trailers from across the country with diesel trucks, and the high price of diesel during the summer forced many to stick with events closer to home.

"We're [typically] busy every weekend from March to September with equine shows," she said. "Participation was about half this year due to the cost of diesel."

Bob Parker said the arena relies on strong summer events to carry the business through slower winter months.

The couple said sharp increases in the cost of heating the arena also have come into play. Motorized events such as a Dec. 5-6 Arenacross competition require the arena to be simultaneously vented and heated.

"Until the economy shows some sign of coming back, it affects us like everyone else," Janice Parker said, adding that arena event promoters as well as the ticket-buying public also are feeling the squeeze.

She hopes that some economic improvements, including lower fuel prices, will allow for the arena to reopen sometime next spring, and that's why a sale of the property is not certain.

The 140-acre property recently was listed on LoopNet, an online brokerage service that specializes in commercial properties. The listing does not include a price and the Parkers were reluctant to speculate on a potential price, since commercial market values vary widely on the U.S. 93 corridor between Kalispell and Whitefish.

The listing mainly is intended to test the market, Janice Parker said.

"We'll see what happens," she said. "That's why we're not making any firm decisions right now. It's like a roll of the dice in what's going to transpire in the months to come."

The arena facility was developed in 2002 at a cost of about $6 million, with the intent of serving as a community center. The centerpiece is the 55,750-square-foot arena building that can seat as many as 7,000 people, according to the arena Web site.

The complex also features a 45,000-square-foot outdoor arena, a host of horse stalls, paddocks, pastures and holding pens.

Majestic Valley facilities have accommodated a diverse collection of events including weddings, nonprofit gatherings, high school graduations, music concerts, political rallies, monster truck shows, boxing matches, rodeos and a variety of equestrian events.

"It was never put in place to be a totally profit-driven project," Janice Parker said, noting the facility has hosted numerous charitable events. "We've had everything here. We're pretty proud of our record and we think provided a great service."

The arena has a full schedule through November weekends, then the Dec. 5-6 Arenacross event, followed by a Christmas break for the Parkers and their staff of six people.

A team penning event Dec. 27-28 will be the last before the arena closes.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com