The Jackson County Fair Board made the difficult, but correct, decision last week when it announced that the Rogue Music Fest would not be returning for 2024.

In doing so, officials at The Expo demonstrated a welcome frankness about the situation — a transparency in communication that could serve them well down the road.

Despite drawing A-list headliners such as Eric Church and Carrie Underwood, the inaugural two-day June event suffered from logistical and economic problems that officials at The Expo said made it unfeasible to repeat this summer.

Friday afternoon’s announcement, said interim fairgrounds manager Rob Holmbeck, was a matter or “ripping off the band-aid” in response to inquiries being received over whether the festival would be held.

“We wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page,” Holmbeck said, “even though it was a hard thing to finally say out loud.”

Holmbeck, who acknowledge Monday that the 2023 concerts had operated at a loss of $2.2 million, said that fairgrounds organizers wanted to ensure that the financial burden would not create restrictions on other popular events such as the Jackson County Fair and Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo.

J.B. Dimmick, who was president of the fair board until last month, said that the expenses associated with Rogue Music Fest worked against the responsibilities of the “core business model” for The Expo.

“The bottom line is, financially, with the cost of the kind of entertainers that need to walk out onto that stage, at this point it’s just not feasible,” Dimmick said.

“As stewards of public money, it’s not OK for us to have a good time and plan a party for the community, but throw a bunch of money away at the same time.”

Financial considerations were also on the minds of some of those who reacted to the news when posting on Rogue Valley Times social media sites.

Ticket prices ranged from $200 to $550 each, with parking fees adding another $75 or $100, depending on how close to the action attendees wanted to park or stand near the stage.

Additionally, readers expressed dissatisfaction with the proximity of the concerts to Interstate 5, as the sound of passing vehicles disrupted their enjoyment of the music, and even to having the event dominated by country music.

Given the range of issues, the fair board was wise to hit the pause button. Holdback added that this year’s cancellation wasn’t necessarily a death knell for Rogue Music Fest, which might be reimagined as a biennial event.

That decision, however, is among the many facing Expo officials in what Dimmick called “a very transitional period,” as the search continues for a permanent manager for the fairgrounds.

The fair board rescinded the job offer made for the position to Karen Fyock, who had been set to begin this month, after concerns were raised about California state audits that led to her dismissal as director of the Sacramento County Fair.

Dimmick, who heads the search committee, said that while the board is thankful for the support of county leaders and staff, bringing the new director aboard is critical to helping the fairgrounds during its transition.

Perhaps one of the lessons learned from the Rogue Music Fest applies here as well — that a little transparency in the decision-making process can make things clear to the public.