Perhaps one of the most noticeable changes to the state fairgrounds is in the midway after $50 million in upgrades. The removal of the grandstand and race track opened up a more uniform space for the rides and games. WAER News caught up with the man in charge of the midway…and a few fairgoers for some feedback.
Sure, there are some strange shows and scary rides on the midway, but owner and CEO of Wade Shows Frank Zaitshik says that’s not the case with the new layout.
"We were able to increase the walking space for customers, instead of narrow aisleways at the east end of the grounds, what we used to call the bottleneck."
Jennifer Keegan of Syracuse notices a difference.
"I think this is much better. It was too crowded last time. Now it just seems bigger. It's not so cluttered."
Larry Forjone and his wife Debbie agree. They're from Clyde, and have camped at the fairgrounds for decades.
"We come here every year. It's not really crowded. You have a lot of room to walk around, you can walk between the rides. It's pretty nice."
Mildred Boeglin of Camillus brings her grandsons every year.
"I like it in one way , you have more room, and you're not crowded. In another way, it's a lot of walking."
But the new layout left regular fairgoer Kim Murphy and family of Camillus confused and frustrated…
"We have no idea where we're going, so we have our map out. Trying to find food at this point. So we're going to go this way, to try to find food."
Frank Zaitshik with Wade Shows says he and fair officials are always open to feedback, which they will use to improve the fair experience.
"There's nobody here connected with the Great New York State Fair that's doing that [changing the layout] to diminish people's experience. They're doing it to increase it. They have to remember it's a work in progress."
While the media and public learned of the fairgrounds makeover early last year, Zaitshik says plans go back even further to at least the spring of 2014, when Wade Shows earned the 10-year contract to fill the midway with rides and games.
"There was full disclosure on their part back when they sent the RFP [request for proposals]," Zaitshik said. "They mentioned in the RFP that in the future they planned on a total restoration of the fairgrounds. They asked us for our input on that."
He says officials were receptive…after all, Zaitshik says they play more state fairs than any company in the country.
"We've been part of renovations and expansion and progress and change at other locations, so we're no stranger to it, it's not our first rodeo. We were fully prepared to join hands."
Zaitshik says every New Yorker should be proud of the state fair, and praises the governor for making a $50 million commitment...something he says can only get better.
"We're going to hear from our customers, our staff, management, and the different government entities involved in this," Zaitshik said. "I know there's one goal in mind...to make the 2016 fair the best and safest that it can. But as soon as that fair is over, we're going to step up and try and do the same thing for 2017."
