Newport Gets Commons Update

Lincoln County officials briefed the Newport City Council on the long‑planned Lincoln County Commons project, outlining a roughly $40 million fairgrounds and events center redevelopment that is now deep into design and pre‑construction planning.

Project manager Joshua Dodson of Dodson Project Management (DPM) told councilors the county has its core team in place and is working to align scope, schedule, and budget before breaking ground.

“We have prepared a few slides to give you an overview of where we’ve been, where we’re at, and where we’re going,” Dodson said, noting the work builds on a master plan that has been updated over the last 15–20 years, most recently in 2019.

Design phases and timeline

Dodson walked the council through the standard design phases for the project: schematic design (SD), design development (DD), and construction documents (CD). He said the current schedule anticipates construction starting in the first quarter of 2027, with “substantial completion” around June 2028, though the team hopes to accelerate that if possible.

“As we know, time is money, so we’re going to try to finish this quicker than all of this, and even start early if we can,” he said.

Project management and contracting approach

The county has hired LRS Architects through a request for proposals process and selected Bremik Construction under a construction manager/general contractor (CMGC) model, rather than the traditional low‑bid method.

Dodson said the CMGC approach lets the county choose a contractor based on qualifications, experience, and fees, and then bring that firm in early to help with phasing, scheduling, logistics, and early procurement of long‑lead items like switchgear and generators.

Budget, funding, and value engineering

The total project budget is about $40 million, with $30 million set as a “guaranteed maximum price” target for construction. The team is using what Dodson called “target value design,” where architects, contractor, and owner work together to maximize what can be built within the available dollars.

He acknowledged that the current concept design “fits our schedule, that fits our scope, but it doesn’t fit our budget,” and said the team is now pricing options and looking at value engineering to rein in costs without gutting the project.

Commissioner Chuck pointed out the full $40 million budget is in place through a voter‑approved levy and a county loan, and that the project is planned to be paid for with transient room tax (TRT) revenue rather than local property taxes.

Facilities, uses, and staffing

The Commons project is envisioned as a new, multi‑use fairgrounds and events campus. Current concepts include a large indoor events center, a rodeo arena with movable bleachers, significant green space and a stage for outdoor events, concessions and storage, public restrooms, and potential space for county archives.

Dodson described the Commons as a year‑round community asset, not just a fairground.

“The green space is going to be available to be used for soccer games and other sporting events,”

Chuck said. “We’re building the rodeo facility big enough so they can have other rodeos here, car shows, whatever you want… movie night… concerts… I think it’s going to be a very attractive venue, and I think it’s going to be a big benefit for the county and for the city.”

The county is also planning for operations. In response to a council question about past concepts that relied on a part‑time coordinator, Chuck said they are now aiming for a full‑time facilities manager position, with the ability to adjust staffing as demand grows.

“This is going to be the newest fairgrounds in the state,” he said. “We are a destination… I think we’re going to be able to get a lot of events here, especially in the shoulder seasons.”

Partnership with the city

Both Dodson and councilors framed the project as a close collaboration between the county and the City of Newport, especially given the amount of road and utility work happening around the Commons site.

Dodson said the project team is coordinating with the city on construction schedules, utility work, and traffic impacts, looking for chances to share work and reduce costs.

He praised the city’s role so far, saying he relies on what he calls the “three Rs” of a good partner: “Are you reliable? Are you responsive? And are you responsible?” He said the city has met those marks and asked only that the partnership continue.

As the presentation wrapped up, the mayor and council thanked the project team and architects for the update and urged them to keep the council informed as the design is refined and costs are balanced with the community’s aspirations for the site.