July 2010 - Amusement Today

34 AMUSEMENT TODAY July 2010Nebraska debuting new $40 million fairgrounds next monthAfter 104 years in Lincoln,Neb., the Nebraska State Fairwill debut its new $42 milliongrounds in Grand Islandwhen it opens for businessAug. 27-Sept. 6.And, while the fairgroundshave the same acreageas Lincoln, 225, fair officialssaid the new groundsare more functional, providingmore space for exhibitors,livestock, and the midway.“Once people enter thefairgrounds and walk just afew feet inside, they are inthe hub of the grounds,” saidJana Hafer, public relationsand marketing director. “Thisshould allow patrons to navigatethe grounds much betterthan in Lincoln. We are veryexcited. It has been a lot ofwork but we have a great endproduct.”The Nebraska State Fairheld its last fair in Lincoln lastyear. The move from Lincolnwas precipitated by the Universityof Nebraska, whichwanted to use the Lincolnfairgrounds to create a corridorbetween the main campusand the east campus. The fairgroundswere on that space.The 2009 fair drew a largerthan average attendance,approximately 360,000. Fairofficials feel that attendancewas partially driven by thefact it was the last fair in Lincoln.And, even though the fairhas grown in attendance everyyear since 2002, fair officialsare hesitant to predict whetherthat trend will continue.“We think we will probablylose some of the urban attendance,but we also feel wewill pick up from the centraland western parts of the state,”Hafer said. “Just what that gapwill be, we’ll just have to see.”Yet the Grand Island locationis just 90 miles west fromLincoln. With a 75 mph statespeed limit, those from Lincolnare not really far from thefair. Fairgoers can take an exitoff of Interstate 80 that is actuallythe road on which the fairgroundssit. The grounds arefive miles from that exit.And, fair officials are certainlyattempting to lure thosepatrons as well as new ones.This year’s entertainmentbudget is $1.1, an increase of$200,000. The advertising budgetrose by $90,000 to $330,000,said Joseph McDermott, thefair’s executive director, in anearlier report.The event will featuremore rides on the midway.Belle City Amusements, Deltona,Fla., will return for itssecond year. Hafer said themidway is about the samesize as in Lincoln, but the layoutis certainly different. Thegrounds are more rectangularRENDERING COURTESY NEBRASKA STATE FAIRHere is an artist rendering of the new Nebraska State Fairgroundsin Grand Island. This year will be the new groundsdebut after having been located in Lincoln for 104 years.Fair officials say the new grounds are not any bigger thanin Lincoln, but are laid out to offer easier navigation, morefunctionality, larger and more exhibits, and more attractions,just to name a few of the benefits.in size now instead of being“long and stretched out.”Activity areas have quadrupled.The grounds in Lincolnhad 70 buildings, but manywere small. The new groundshave five; the fifth won’t bebuilt until after the 2010 event.There is an 80,000-sq.-ft. swinebarn; 110,000-sq.-ft. cattlebarn; a 90,000-sq.-ft. sheep andgoat barn; the ag-arena with57,000-sq.-ft.; and two exhibitionhalls of 100,000-sq.-ft. and70,000-sq.-ft. A welcome centerwill great guests with conciergeservices and restrooms.The administration buildingwill be built upon completionof this year’s event.Offices will be on one end ofthe building and there willbe 20,000-sq.-ft. of exhibitionspace at the other.“These spaces haveopened the door to a multitudeof opportunities for us,”Hafer said. “We will be able toprovide better education, betterexhibits, better guest interactions.We can provide moreexhibits and more expensiveagricultural exhibits.”The fair is booking sevenconcert acts, five of which willbe free, and a variety of livegrounds entertainment. Thefive concert acts, as of mid-June, include Casting Crowns,Phil Vassar, Martina McBride,Lifehouse, and Josh Turner.The new grounds are locatedadjacent to Fonner Park,a horse show and racing facility.The fair has contracted withFonner Park to use its practicetrack for grandstand musicalentertainment and for motorizedsports entertainment.“We won’t use the maintrack since it is really quitenice and is used solely for thehorse events,” Hafer said.No live horse racing isscheduled during the dates ofthe fair, but there is simulcastracing there.“The fair and the simulcastracing are quite separateevents,” she said. “They4See NEBRASKA, page 36IOWAContinued from page 33the fair.There will be four separateroutes covering northeast, northwest,southeast and southwestIowa. The fair Web site offers acomplete listing of the locationswhere the buses will run, alongwith prices and how to reservea spot.There must be 30 peoplebooked on a trip for the trip torun, and it runs rain or shine.The Iowa State Fair offers awide variety of entertainmentincluding musical, grounds, agriculturaland midway rides andgames. The midway is providedby Belle City Amusements, Deltona,Fla.Musical headliners this yearinclude acts such as Sheryl Crow,Boys Like Girls, Darius Rucker,Keith Urban, Pat Benatar & REOSpeedwagon, and Sugarland.The National Tractor and TruckPull as well as the DemolitionDerby are scheduled.