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The livestock barns have also seen
improvements. New signage was added to
the barns for the first time in 20 years. Air
conditioning, which will also serve as heating
during the winter months, was added and
provided in the bathrooms for the first time
ever. All of the drains were cleaned out and
repaired, as well.
“One major thing we did to the livestock
barns was update the wiring. The barns were
built in the 1950s and the wiring was due for
an overhaul,” said Commissioner Gipson. “We
hired an in-house certified electrician who
rewired the entire livestock barn, completely
bringing all the electrical wiring and plugs to
current code. He also rewired all of the RV
connections outside, which resulted in over
500 outlets and breakers being repaired and
165 new RV slots being added.”
According to Commissioner Gipson, the
improvements made in the livestock barns
and RV park, alone, will allow for new
opportunities for the coliseum to host much
larger livestock shows and events than ever
before, which will generate additional
revenue throughout the years.
“While I’m passionate and excited about
the new trade mart and the improvements
we’ve been able to make to the coliseum
and fairgrounds as a whole, I’m most excited
about the agricultural and livestock improvements,”
said Commissioner Gipson. “Agriculture
and livestock is why we even have the
fairgrounds, these year-round events, and the
fair. It’s how it all started, and it needs to
remain the focus.”
In addition to these improvements, new
LED, energy-efficient lighting has been
installed throughout the coliseum, new security
cameras and lighting are in the process of
being installed throughout the property, and
over 1,000 horse stalls are being renovated
along with their corresponding barns.
Even though these improvements to the
fairgrounds campus will positively affect the
state in terms of more, larger events, that bring
in additional revenue, as well as provide an
overall better experience for existing events,
the effects of these improvements will go
even further than that.
“Not a lot of people know that the
Mississippi fairgrounds is the primary staging
ground of natural disaster response in
Mississippi,” said Brian Perry, chief of staff for
the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and
Commerce. “There have been times where
the Coliseum has opened up as a Red Cross
shelter, like during Hurricane Katrina years
ago, and we may have to feed and house
people in need. These repairs directly impact
that as well. These repairs are for everybody.”
Looking forward, future improvement
goals would be to repave and concrete the
parking lot, transform the old, vacant amory
building, and continue to add additional
parking spaces. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Hometown MADISON • 11