A fair state of mind
G.I. officials say site offers ideal location for state fair
by Jonna M. Huseman
How much would you spend on an annual visit to the Nebraska State Fair?
Maybe $50 or $100? Perhaps even $200?
That very question was posed to members of the AACD by Cindy Johnson, president of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, last Tuesday afternoon.
Johnson, along with Jay Vavricek, owner of GI Family Radio, met with the AACD to discuss issues related to the fair, including proposed ideas, legislative action and the affect the state fair could have on Aurora if the event was moved to Grand Island.
While the Legislature’s Agricultural Committee will make the final decision regarding the fate of the state fair, Johnson, Vavricek and other Grand Island city officials are hoping to see the fair move to a location near Fonner Park.
Utilizing large cite maps, Johnson and Vavricek outlined visions they and Grand Island City officials have for the state fair.
“We want to showcase Nebraska, families, hard work and also technology,” Vavricek said. “We’re going on a lot of assumptions of what a fair is today and what it could be in the future.”
And preparing for the future of the state fair -- whatever it may be -- is what led officials in Grand Island to team up with Olsson and Associates for the creation of a proposed state fair park.
Located on the grounds of the present day Fonner Park, Johnson explained that the City of Grand Island has proposed a new 100,000 square foot building for exhibition and two 67,000 square feet buildings for equine events that would be built in phase one of a construction project.
Phase two would ultimately lead to the building of two additional 40,000 square foot facilities.
The proposed location for a new state fair allows room for growth and extra parking, as outlined in the city’s proposed plan.
“As you can see, what we’re trying to do is compliment the existing facilities,” Johnson said, adding that Fonner Park already has exhibition and entertainment facilities.
But plans created by Olsson and Associates also involve large changes to the grounds with the hopes that landscaping, trees and access to trails would give the state fair a campus feel.
Ideas for the facelift came from research that shows some disturbing trends the Nebraska State Fair currently faces, including dwindling attendance rates.
Studies indicate that those most likely to visit the Nebraska State Fair live within 60 miles of its current location and are 40-year-old women.
It is estimated that only 26 percent of Nebraska’s total population visits the fair regularly, which leads to that all important question -- how much would you spend on a visit to the fair?
Try $8.03, which is what research suggests the average fairgoer spends once inside the fairground gates.
That number, Johnson said, is startlingly low; she and Vavricek hope that the ideas presented by Grand Island could help change those statistics.
“Something is going on here that we need to pay attention to,” Johnson said. “We have the opportunity to attract more men and to release some dollars.”
And it is the hopes of community leaders in Aurora that dollars be released not only at the fair, but in surrounding locations.
If the fair does move to Grand Island, both Johnson and Vavricek said nothing but positive consequences could come to Aurora and other surrounding communities.
“I think this would be really great for central Nebraska,” Vavricek said. “There’s a lot of different ripples that will directly and indirectly affect Nebraska.”
It is now up to Johnson, Vavricek and other Grand Island officials to make their case for why the fair should move to their city.
Among the points they will continue to present include how Grand Island’s unique and exciting atmosphere would positively affect the state fair as an event and an attraction.
“We have been trying to define what would be unique about a state fair in the middle of the state over a more urban area,” Vavricek said, citing things like a greater appeal and better access for the state’s rural residents.
Grand Island officials have also proposed holding the state fair in conjunction with Husker Harvest Days, which draws thousands each year.
The idea, Vavricek said, is to have two events back to back that would appeal to people with agricultural interests.
But before any plans can be set in stone, the state legislature and Nebraska State Fair Board must come to an agreement and make a decision upon what to do with the fair -- a choice that is easier said that done.
The legislature’s agricultural committee must choose between leaving the state fair at its current location, moving the fair to a different location inside of Lincoln or moving the event to a site outside the capitol city.
And no matter what option the committee chooses, a price tag must be added, as every option includes necessary renovations.
Johnson and Vavricek have estimated that moving the state fair to Grand Island would cost $41 million.
LB 1116 offers a $30 million price for anyone who may purchase land at the existing State Fair Park.
Grand Island officials say they would tap into that cash, as well as add $5 million from public and private donations, request $5 million from the state fair fund and another $5 million from the legislature.
And state lottery funds would continue to follow the state fair, supplying it with $2.5 to $3 million annually.
“We did a couple of things that make me feel confident about our numbers,” Johnson said, explaining that the city worked with local contractors and engineers to develop their proposal. “We’re getting a real look from the state fair board and the senators and the ag committee. People have been overwhelmingly supportive.”
Christian Evans, the newly hired executive director of the AACD, said moving the event to this region would be a real asset to area communities the long haul.
“If the state legislature decides it wants to move the fair out of Lincoln, we are 100 percent behind it coming to Grand Island,” he said. “We see economic benefits to Aurora and the surrounding communities, especially in retail and lodging.”