TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Travis County commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a contract with the Republic of Texas Biker Rally for the 2019 event.
Commissioners discussed contracts for use of the Expo Center at their commissioners meeting last Tuesday. They were considering having the Travis Central Appraisal District use the facility.
For 24 years, the Expo Center has hosted the ROT Rally on about 400 acres of land -- and thousands of motorcyclists have converged there.
"There's not a perfect place as perfect as the Expo Center,” said ROT Rally owner Jerry Bragg.
The county said the appraisal district approached them in order to use the Expo Center appraisal hearings.
Travis County's five-year contract with the ROT Rally ended last year. On Tuesday, commissioners voted to approve a new contract with ROT Rally. They will ratify that vote next Tuesday, Oct. 9.
Bragg said there was miscommunication between the county and the ROT Rally.
Travis County said it is asking the ROT Rally for about $50,000. ROT Rally was paying about $30,000 in the previous contract.
Bragg said if ROT Rally is no longer held at the Expo Center, "there will be a lot of disappointed people.”
KVUE also contacted Rodeo Austin, which holds its event at the Expo Center as well. A spokeswoman there said their 2019 dates at the Expo Center are not changing.
Editors Note: A previous version of this story has been corrected. A Travis County spokesperson said he gave KVUE an incorrect number of $130,000 a year for a new contract from ROT Rally.