One of the people through the turnstiles at the State Fair Tuesday was Governor Cuomo. He was ready to share with fairgoers his vision for a new look to the fairgrounds. The visit was making good on a promise to move the attraction into the future.
The community got a hint of these changes earlier this year when the state budget included funds to renovate the State Fairgrounds and help construct the Lakeview Amphitheater. But in this visit Cuomo detailed the vision for the long-overdue revision.
“An exhibition center that’s state of the art that can bring shows, events that we can’t compete for, to this facility. The equine center is very, very exciting; the midway is just bigger and better. So you have everything you had, plus. And just overall, the place needed an overhaul.”
Other aspects of the redesign include a 400 spot R-V park and expanding the Chevy Court concert stage.
DETAILS OF PLAN TO OVERHAUL THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS
1. Remove the grandstand and motor track to make room for new facilities;
2. Construct the Expo Center – a state-of-the-art, 110,000 square foot multi-use facility to host trade shows, horse shows, mid-sized concerts and other events;
3. Construct a larger, modern Chevy Court Festival Stage and seating area;
4. Enlarge and upgrade the Midway to facilitate a more robust carnival;
5. Perform much-needed infrastructure upgrades to enhance visitor experience and better showcase a variety of attractions; and
6. Create a new, 400 site RV Park to serve the Fair, the Lakeview Amphitheater, and many large events held at the Fairgrounds year-round.
The fairgrounds sit in Ryan McMahon’s legislative district…he’s excited to see how it might help economic growth.
“When you look at what the goals that are trying to be accomplished, to make it a year round facility, that’s only going to help our overall economy and our tourism economy. In 2014 our tourism was excellent. Our numbers increased 6.8%, second highest in the State of New York, so we’ve got a good foundation to build on.”
And Cuomo also makes the connection between the fair and the region’s economic health.
“It’s not just about redoing the fair, it’s about building the economy and building jobs and that’s what we need in Central New York. It’s about jobs, jobs, jobs…and reversing the overall decline that we experienced over the past 40 years.”
Many of the upgrades are expected to be done before next year’s state fair…the expo center is scheduled for the following year.
DETAILS, COSTS AND SCHEDULED COMPLETION: MAIN ASPECTS OF REDESIGN
Remove the grandstand and motor track to make room for new facilities
- The existing grandstand, which was originally constructed in 1972, was not designed to function as an outdoor concert venue, and is not equipped to meet the needs of modern acts. In fact, the outdated nature of the grandstand has hindered efforts to book top acts to play during the Fair, and the grandstand itself has become a money-losing operation. Additionally, with the opening of Onondaga County’s Lakeview Amphitheater in close proximity to the Fairgrounds, the region will already have a premier, state-of-the-art venue capable of hosting large concerts. The outdated grandstand will be removed in order to free up vital space for Fairground enhancements, and large paid-attendance concerts during future runs of the Fair will be located at the Lakeview Amphitheater.
- The motor track is currently only utilized once per year for the annual Super DIRT Week. Like the grandstand, removing the motor track will also create room for crucial enhancements and modern facilities that can be used for a wider variety of events, year-round.
- To ensure the continued success of Super DIRT Week, the Governor also announced that the state has entered into a 10 year partnership with the event organizers allowing them to remain in Central New York. The State will also invest $250,000 in promotional dollars to assist Super DIRT Week expand and grow over the next five years.
- Removal of both the grandstand and the motor track is projected to cost $3 million.
Construct a state-of-the-art, multi-use Expo Center
- The new Expo Center will be approximately 110,000 square feet, adding much-needed space that allows current shows to expand and new shows to be added in the future. The building’s architectural detailing will be designed to complement the older, historical buildings on the grounds.
- In addition to new concert and event space, the Expo Center will house new equestrian facilities. The Fair’s current equestrian facilities are badly outdated, having been in operation for generations without substantial renovations. More specifically, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Horse Barn was built in 1935, the existing coliseum was built in 1934, the main horse barn was built in 1917 and the racing stables were built in 1910. Furthermore, the existing coliseum ring is too small for large-scale horse shows, and lacks conveniences that have become standard in modern shows – such as warm-water wash racks and large stalls.
- The new equestrian facilities will offer two outdoor rings and one covered ring, allowing the Fairgrounds to become a more competitive venue both regionally and nationally. This includes shows of all sizes, ranging from 4-H to Can-Am Hunter/Jumper Shows. The new facilities will also include warm-water rash racks and larger stalls, in sizes of at least 10’ x 12’.
- Possible configurations of the new Expo Center space include: Large exhibitions capable of holding 400 10’ x 10’ booths; a general assembly with seating for 4,500 people; or a 150’ x 300’ arena with up to 2000 bleacher seats and 130 horse stalls.
- Completion of the Expo Center and equestrian facilities is expected in July of 2017 at a construction cost of $29 million. It is projected to create and support approximately $10 million annually in economic activity.
Construct a larger, modern Chevy Court Festival Stage
- The Fair has a reputation of hosting perhaps the best free music festival among state fairs in America, yet the constraints of the existing stage have hindered that reputation in recent years. Chevy Court was originally constructed nearly 40 years ago, and its size does not meet the production needs of contemporary shows. In fact, the facility’s limited stage and backstage areas, as well as its current seat limit, make it difficult for the Fairgrounds to book high-profile artists during the Fair and at other points during the year.
- The construction of a larger, state-of-the-art stage will strengthen the Fair’s longstanding reputation as a leader among free, quality music festivals. The new stage and roofing system will be built to modern standards and offer the capacity for larger production shows with video walls, lighting and sound. Safety and security enhancements include a full camera system, electronic access controls, fencing, gates and proper parking locations for tour buses and production vehicles. Additional seating will be added to increase audience capacity by 20 percent, to a total of more than 30,000. The new stage will also allow the Fair to partner with the nearby Lakeview Amphitheater for music festivals and other events.
- Completion of the new Chevy Court Festival Stage is expected in July of 2016 at a construction cost of $4 million.
Enlarge, reorient and upgrade Midway
- Currently, the Midway’s odd shape does not allow for the optimal placement of rides and games during the Fair, effectively limiting the space available to debut new attractions. Additionally, a lack of utility services and a proper draining system severely impedes the space’s ability to function as a show venue outside of the Fair’s normal two-week span.
- Under the Governor’s plan, the Midway will be expanded from 12.5 acres to nearly 16 acres and reoriented as the epicenter of the Fairgrounds. Full infrastructure upgrades will also take place, including the installation of properly sized sanitation and storm water systems, electrical and communication systems as well as electric/water/sewer hook-ups for concession booths, rides and campers. This will allow space for more rides and games during the Fair, and will increase revenue from $3 million to an estimated $4 million over the next four years. During non-Fair times, the new Midway will also allow for more organized parking for events, a much larger space for outdoor shows as well as an expanded camping area that will enable the Fairgrounds to continue hosting large rallies and camping shows.
- Completion of the Midway enhancement is expected in July of 2016 at a construction cost of $2.5 million.
Perform much-needed visitor-experience upgrades
- Currently, visitors to the Fairgrounds are greeted by a poorly constructed front gate that is dated, unwelcoming and does not meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is also not conducive to modern technological needs for electronic ticketing and scanning.
- The front gate will be reconstructed in a way that is reminiscent of the original, historic Fairgrounds gate while also being ADA compliant and supportive of modern event needs. The redesigned gate will be visually pleasing, with new streetscapes, seating, shade and other visitor amenities.
- Additional improvements will allow for the creation of the “NY Experience” – a functional, park-like area that will highlight the past and future of New York State from perspectives that include its economic, cultural and historical significance. The NY Experience will be a living area designed to showcase facets of the Empire State each day during the Fair, such as through demonstration plots of New York specialty crops.
- Completion of these improvements is expected in July of 2016, at a construction cost of $7.7 million.
Create a new, 400 site RV Park
- The Governor’s plan includes the creation of a new, 400-site RV Park. This will include full camper hook-ups with 50/30/20 amp electric options, the infrastructure to support communications/fiber, water and sewer connections, as well as bathrooms and showers. Security improvements include a full camera system and a blue light system in select locations. Spaces in the new park will also be larger than those currently offered in order to continue enhancing visitor experience.
- The new, enhanced space will allow for the continued booking of RV rallies such as the Good Sam’s RV Rally, and will be capable of being utilized in conjunction with the Fair, horse shows, the Syracuse Nationals Car Show and events at the Lakeview Amphitheater.
- Completion of the new RV Park is expected in July of 2016 at a construction cost of $3.8 million. The new Park is expected to generate $1 million in revenue on an annual basis.
