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MISSOULA- Managers of the Western Montana Fair are shopping around for an operator to run the fair's carnival for the next three years. The Request for Proposals comes as fair officials struggle with customer complaints about the carnival on opening day.

Lots of people were disappointed Monday when they arrived to find many of the major rides missing, or not ready for operation. That's similar to problems reported at other fairs across Montana the past couple of weeks, with reports of delays and equipment problems plaguing the operations by Royal West Amusements and Inland Empire Shows.

Fair managers were counting on the company to get all the rides operational Wednesday. At the same time, last week the county issued the RFP for a new, three year contract, with two twelve-month options that could extend the deal through the 2017 fair.

That means Royal West, or other companies, have a shot at business that generated nearly a quarter of a million dollars in business in Missoula last year. Western Montana Fair Director Steve Earle said he doesn't want to get into too much detail.

"I think the people of Missoula know me well enough to know that I like to do business and I like to do it the right way That's all I got to say right now," Earle said.

Those proposals for the fair's carnival business need to be returned to the county October 1, with the contract expected to be issued by the end of the month.