No word from the Veterans Administration on the possible location for a new Putnam County Center.
Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said many developers have submitted bids to the VA to purchase the Jefferson Avenue Fairgrounds property several months ago. Porter said the county nor the developers have yet heard anything back.
“There’s about eight projects like ours in other states that’s a part of this group that were funded last year, so the money is there we are just not sure what’s holding it up right now but we are anxiously waiting to see if the fairgrounds gets chosen,” Porter said.
Porter said as of now he does not have concerns about a deal falling through. Porter said he hopes to hear something by the end of June.
“All of those developers that bid on the VA and the other developer that has an option on the rest of it, same ones,” Porter said. “They have their options are good through the end of June, so hopefully we are gonna know something then.”
Porter said not having the old fairgrounds sold has slightly hindered progress at the new fairgrounds. Porter said he believes the old fairgrounds should have been off the market by now.
“I think if it hadn’t been for us being delayed by the VA it probably would have already been gone but everyone’s waiting to see if the VA takes that front part of it before they make a decision on the rest of it,” Porter said.
Porter said if the county waited till the old fairgrounds were sold to construct the new fairgrounds it would have run the risk of the county not having a fair for the next two to three years.
