All events that were scheduled to take place at Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell over the next month have been suspended, according to facility officials who said the decision was largely made out of concern for Flathead County’s current spike in COVID-19 cases.

Tim Harmon, general manager for Majestic Valley Arena, said although the facility has gone to “great lengths” to adopt and maintain COVID-19 protocols, the owners and himself still felt the cancellations were necessary.

“We have taken many precautions since the start of the pandemic, but even with protocols in place, we as a facility felt it was prudent and in the interest of public safety to do our part to help curb the current spread,” Harmon said. “It seems that the quickest way to get back to normal is to get control of this virus, and hopefully that can happen soon.”

The cancellations were announced Tuesday, just one day after the Flathead City-County Health Department announced large events and indoor gatherings are contributing significantly to Flathead County’s relentless COVID-19 outbreak. As of Tuesday, Flathead County had nearly 1,400 active cases - a growing number that has strained the valley’s health-care system.

“We pray for God to help those who are affected. We ask him to grant our leaders strength and wisdom. To look after those who stand in harm’s way to treat the sick and watch over those who protect us and our nation,” the arena’s website states.

The Battle of the States Bull Riding competition was slated for the this weekend and was expected to draw about 1,500 individuals at reduced capacity. Harmon said although the cancellation was short notice, the Oregon-based promoter of the event understood the situation and said they’d be happy to return to Kalispell for future events.

Harmon also said the facility’s annual Holiday Extravaganza was canceled for the first time in nearly two decades. The event, which was slated to occur in mid-November, was expected to draw 160 vendors from near and far.

The cancellations, Harmon said, will likely take a toll on the arena’s finances - an economic ripple that will also be felt throughout surrounding communities.

“We are an event center, and if we are not hosting events, we are not making money. It’s not like we have tax dollars supporting us,” Harmon explained. “Our estimates show that for every dollar that we generate here, it circulates through the valley about 13 times. Bearing that in mind, it was an extremely difficult decision to cancel these events not just for us, but for other businesses.”

Following the bull riding competition and holiday festival, the next major event still on the calendar is Arena Cross, which is expected to begin Dec. 11. The Brash Winter Rodeo Series - a wildly popular event that occurs at the arena all winter long - is also expected to begin mid-December.

Harmon said facility officials, along with the Flathead City-County Health Department, plan to re-evaluate the county’s COVID-19 outbreak at some point in November to determine whether events in the near future can unfold in a safe manner. But for now, Harmon said officials believe the current course of action will help Flathead County businesses, schools and other entities remain open.

“The health department has been saying that other closures may have to happen if the case numbers aren’t controlled. So we hope this will help with that,” Harmon said. “We are all in this together.”

Reporter Kianna Gardner can be reached at 768-4407 or kgardner@dailyinterlake.com