Could Rexburg get a Rec Center? These residents aim to make it happen.
Published at
REXBURG — Around 150 residents turned out at the Romance Theater on Monday evening to show their support, give input, and ask questions about a proposed Rexburg auditorium district. The district is intended to fund a recreation and event center through a 5% tax on hotel stays and short-term rentals rather than with property taxes.
The movement behind the initiative is called “Indoor Recreation Rexburg.” During the meeting, organizers distributed packets with information about a ballot initiative, asking participants to spread the word and gather signatures from registered voters. A ballot initiative is an effort by voters to place a political or monetary measure before voters — in this case, the creation of the auditorium district.
The meeting was led by former Rexburg City Council member Tisha Flora and local developer Richie Webb. Their goal is to collect 2,000 signatures in favor of a ballot initiative by August, which will be submitted to Madison County and, if certified, would appear on the county’s May 2027 ballot.
Based on current hotel and lodging tax projections, organizers estimate the district could support (or raise) approximately $10 million in bonded funding, although they are also open to donations from private citizens and businesses to contribute to the project.
First a foundation, then an expansion
Webb said the initial project would likely be designed with future expansion in mind.
“We’re hoping that whatever we do, we can build it in a way that we can have an initial product that’s exceptional, but that could grow and add to it,” Webb said.
Throughout the event, Flora and Webb emphasized that their plan would allow visitors, rather than residents, to shoulder much of the cost.
“An auditorium district is a 5% local sales tax on hotel beds and Airbnbs, VRBOs,” Flora said. “That way, our citizens are not paying the extra tax and property taxes to be able to afford a recreation center.”
A board of volunteers
The proposed board for the auditorium district includes Flora, Webb, Megan Dold, Meredith Winters and Dan Dummar, with Marc Harrison as an advisor. If approved, the board would oversee planning and development of the project while seeking community input on the facility’s final design.
Flora emphasized that all of the committee members serve on a strictly volunteer basis, donating their time and effort without compensation.
The team has studied other facilities in Boise and Nampa, as well as the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls and the Mountain View Event Center in Pocatello. Webb emphasized that no final decisions have been made about what the facility would include.
“We are not here tonight to say this is exactly what we want to do,” Webb said. “The feedback from the community is going to be important as we try to move this forward.”
A lot of support and a lot of possibilities
Potential amenities discussed included indoor sports fields, courts, event and meeting space, after-school programs, and indoor play areas. Organizers acknowledged that an aquatic center remains a long-term goal but is likely beyond the reach of the district’s initial funding.
“No one was more disappointed than me realizing that an aquatic center couldn’t happen right now unless we could get some big donations,” Flora said. “However, I really feel like it’s something that is still our goal.”
Madison County developer Bron Leatham, who attended the meeting, said he believes the auditorium district model offers the most realistic path toward creating a recreation facility in Rexburg.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of support for it,” Leatham said. “Not trying to provide something for the student population, more like families and children. That indoor playground, (if it’s) a legitimate playground, a lot of moms would be there six months a year.”
Residents attending the meeting also voiced support for the proposal.
Rexburg resident Megan Garner said the city’s growing population and long winters make additional indoor recreation space a necessity.
“I think Rexburg, of all places, with our young population and our college students, I think we would do really well with the rec center,” Garner said. “I think it’s needed here. I like that they’re coming up with a plan that doesn’t put a tax burden on everybody.”
“This is a community-driven initiative,” Flora said. “With your help, we can do this. This is just a way to get the ball rolling,” Flora said. “We just want to keep it rolling.”
You can find more information here.
To contact the organizers, sign the petition, or ask questions, you can email: rexburgauditoriumdistrict@gmail.com