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It seems the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office has its own posse; it's officially called the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Posse Mounted Patrol Division. In ten weeks, the volunteer organization will be holding a rodeo at...the Ag Center on Highway 72. Big Ta Da!
The organization's Facebook page shows a committee selecting from four sites on Ag Center property. We assume everything will be portable. In other words, don't expect working toilets or sinks.
A spokesman for the group has said there will be seating for between 1,500 to 1,800 paying customers for the two day event. Will there be protesters? We have no idea, but the annual rodeo in Limestone has successfully managed to keep them at bay for several years.
We wish the organization the best, even if we don't personally support that type of money-making endeavor. Or should we say money-making attempt? We predict cool March weather combined with the lack of amenities will keep many at home.
If any of our readers do attend, send us your reviews of the Ag Center set up. Perhaps Inspiration Landing can learn something.
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While I dare not claim to be an expert on the Ag Center in Lauderdale County, I do have a comparison that comes to mind when it is a subject of conversation. I often think of the initial life of Nashville Speedway. It is almost a case of “build it and hope they will come.” Even today I bring up the Lebanon white elephant and people still don’t know it exists.
ReplyDeleteThe monstrosity in Lebanon was built in 2001. It hosted some “minor” events until 2011 when it was finally closed and was eventually sold. After the sale a few NASCAR teams used the track for private testing until NASCAR banned private testing. But it wasn’t until 2021 that NASCAR actually started using the track.
As the old saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. How do we not look at such ventures to evaluate our own follies? Will it take 20 years for the Ag Center to pay off? What about Inspiration Landing? Can we afford it?
When I worked in research and development I was told 10% success pays off. That saying would be true if I am looking for gold such as a highly successful product. Is that what we are willing to accept? I’m not sure that is acceptable for public spending, although it sometimes looks that way. Right now Inspiration Landing has less of a sputtering start than the Nashville Speedway.
If either venture is put into operation we will surely be judged about it in future years. I can only hope we aren’t waiting 20 years for a return on investment. If we are, I hope it is a gold mine. In the meantime it will remind me of a large intersection near Lebanon, Tennessee that rarely sees traffic. More now than it has in the last 20 years though.