Ranch Events Complex rings in 20 years
Larimer County celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Ranch Events Complex on Sunday afternoon with live music, games, photo booths and more.
The complex, which was transformed from agricultural land east of Loveland to one of the most successful venues in northern Colorado, is still growing, with new construction including a new 4-H building and updated traffic flow patterns. Plans for a new event arena and a youth sports training center are in the pipeline.
The anniversary celebration also officially unveiled the complex’s existing arena as the Blue Federal Credit Union Arena, from the Budweiser Arena previously.
The arena serves as home ice for the Colorado Eagles hockey team.
“The partnership with Blue Federal Credit Union and the Colorado Eagles illustrates a general theme that we foresee building upon for the next 20 years,” Ranch executive director Conor Mcgrath wrote in a statement Sunday. “Partnerships and connecting the community to continue to improve the lives of residents in Northern Colorado. I also have much appreciation for the work of elected officials, the community, and ranch staff for their efforts to support an extended sales and use tax in 2017 to help us create a Ranch for the future.”
The complex has attracted top talent to the area since its construction, with artists like Snoop Dogg, Tool and Billy Idol and comedians like Steve Martin and Martin Short performing in Loveland.
It also serves as the fairgrounds for the Larimer County Fair each year.
“I don’t think people realize how epic, and unheard of, getting Tool here, and having people from 36 states here to see Tool is,” said Larimer County Commissioner Jody ShadduckMcnally. “And the benefit for everyone in the community, it shows what this complex and Blue Arena can do.”
Larimer County owns the Ranch, and originally bought the property to serve as the Larimer County Fair’s new fairgrounds, as it had outgrown the existing grounds in south Loveland.
“The need is there, and the community supports it, which is the most important thing,” said Susan Trafton, assistant general manager of the Blue Arena.