In 2019, Whitemarsh Township adopted an ordinance that effectively prohibited events with animal acts from being held in the township. At the time, there had been a circus and rodeo that regularly held events at Lulu Shriners in Plymouth Meeting (Whitemarsh Township).

One just noticed provision within the recently adopted state budget in Pennsylvania is that there is a requirement that municipalities allow rodeos at least 12 days a year under certain conditions.

From a July 18th article on Spotlight PA:

The new budget allows certain rodeo-hosting companies to pick up to 12 days per calendar year to host a “ticketed, public” rodeo or “rodeo-related event,” even if local rules ban or constrain the events. During those 12 days, any local rodeo regulations “shall not apply.” The law applies only to rodeos hosted by entities that operate in at least 10 states each year and in venues with capacities of at least 2,500.

While we have never rode a horse or a bull, most people will be surprised to learn we know a little something about the rodeo business. Before MoreThanTheCurve.com, we managed all types of events and between 2006-2008 we produced three professional bull riding events at Radnor Hunt and then Devon Horse Show.

This new law is written basically to benefit the large national rodeo companies, and not smaller regional rodeo outfit who would likely hold a show in Whitemarsh. For example, for the rodeos I was involved with, we hired a rodeo company out of Gettysburg. They did shows in neighboring states (even once at Bruce Springsteen’s house in New Jersey), but they did not operate in 10 states.

Did Lulu’s stadium have 2,500 seats? Not sure, but you can always add temporary bleachers to increase capacity.

That all being said, the rodeo isn’t coming back because Lulu sold the property to its neighbor ERCI and ECRI has now sold it to a school (which plans to construct a sports field where the stadium is located). There is also not another venue like that in the township. Our take on the law was that it was to protect the rodeo business in larger markets where there are arenas.

We just found this story interesting due to how the state could overrule municipalities.