The Mitchell City Council on Monday night approved changes to a lease agreement between the city and the Mitchell Rodeo Foundation. Mitchell Rodeo Foundation President Jim Miskimins explained the reasons for the lease modification.  He said some language was problematic from a commercial lending standpoint and that the group simply was not ready to get started when the lease began two years ago.

One of the changes approved reduces the rent for 2021 and 2022 from $7,500 to $500 and restarts the lease. It was revealed during the 45-minute discussion that the Mitchell Rodeo Foundation has not made any rent payments to the city since the inception of the lease. City Attorney Justin Johnson says that could be seen as a breach of contract.

The Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo was cancelled this past summer because of the dispute between Horsemen’s Sports and the Corn Palace Rodeo Committee.

The council voted 6-2 in favor of modifying the lease.