BILLINGS, Mont. – A brand-new outdoor arena is set to host a new PRCA Pro Rodeo event 'Rodeo Billings' at the 2025 MontanaFair from August 14-16. This new addition at MetraPark promises to bring excitement to south central Montana.
Construction is currently underway at the MetraPark fairgrounds with the new multi-facility arena expected to open this summer. David Allen, NILE General Manager, shared his enthusiasm for the development. "It changes our whole game as far as the other kinds of things we can do for NILE and one of our primary purposes is promoting agriculture and youth in agriculture and generating scholarships for youth in agriculture and we're going to be able to do a lot more with this as a tool," he said.
For many years, the Midland Empire MetraPark Grandstands housed 6,000 people for a variety of events, but those are now gone making way for a new, state of the art, multipurpose facility. The new facility will host a variety of events, with Rodeo Billings being the first. This event will replace the Yellowstone River Roundup in the MontanaFair lineup and is expected to become one of the largest paying rodeos in the state.
Becky Hillier, Rodeo Billings Communications Coordinator, emphasized the caliber of competition. "You're going to have the best, highest quality cowboys and best, highest quality competition here at Rodeo Billings. The road to the NFR will go through Rodeo Billings this year. You'll have those guys who are on the bubble, hoping to qualify for the NFR and the $15,000 purse money for rough stock here, which is up from $5,000 makes it well worth their efforts to stop here and compete in Rodeo Billings," she said.
Construction is expected to continue through spring, with completion set for early summer.
