Madison County nears completion of 1,500-seat covered arena at fairgrounds.

Construction is finishing on a 175-by-300-foot covered arena at the Madison County Fairgrounds that will seat about 1,500 and include a press box, restrooms and a rodeo area. County officials say the project is funded by local tourism dollars and state legislature support, is under budget, and is expected to be completed in May.

Madison County is finishing construction on a covered arena at the county fairgrounds. The 175-by-300-foot structure will seat about 1,500 people and add a press box, new restrooms and a 125-by-240-foot rodeo arena. County leaders secured funds from the Local Tourism Development Authority and the North Carolina General Assembly, and county officials say the project is currently under budget. Workers are installing roof panels now and officials expect the roof and walls to be finished in a couple of weeks, with overall completion targeted for May. Key facts: - The arena measures 175 by 300 feet and will seat approximately 1,500 people. - Planned amenities include a press box, new restrooms, and a 125-by-240-foot rodeo arena. - Funding came from local tourism dollars (about $1.2 million) and state legislature support (about $1.2 million), and officials said it is not on the taxpayer dime and is under budget. - The first construction phase (roof and walls) should finish in a couple of weeks, with overall completion expected in May. - There are no event bookings yet; the county plans to launch a website for online bookings in a couple of weeks, and officials described the arena as a venue for community events and tourism-related activity. Summary: The county expects the new covered arena to serve as a community gathering space and to support local vendors and tourism, with officials noting plans for regular rodeos and other events. Exterior construction is nearing completion and a booking website will be launched; further details on event scheduling and measurable economic impact are undetermined at this time.