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* Capitol News Illinois…
The state of Illinois is teaming up with the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln to develop a master plan for year-round use of state fairgrounds facilities in Springfield and Du Quoin.
Gov. JB Pritzker and Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II made that announcement Friday, along with John Stremsterfer, president and CEO of the foundation.
“Today, we honor the legacy of paving an even better path forward for these fairgrounds for generations to come,” Pritzker said during a news conference early Friday morning outside the Department of Agriculture building next to the Springfield fairgrounds. “That’s our intention. That’s what our state fair advisory board is tasked with.”
* The Question: Your suggestions for year-round use of the state fairgrounds? Snark isn’t encouraged, but will be allowed.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:39 pm
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massive marijuana dispensary plus growing facility to boost the economy of Central Illinois … incorporates the growing / agriculture themes of the fairgrounds with a modern twist
Comment by west wing Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:49 pm
Maybe start with fixing every building, every driveway, road, etc. that needs to be fixed? After years of neglect. That could be at least a year-round project.
Comment by EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:49 pm
In the past Dept of Ag staff have made several attempts at expanding the use (the fairgrounds are used about 11 months out of the year already) of the grounds.
Among the issues the state fair has to deal with are
1. The aging and in many places falling down buildings and gravel roads. When marketing to large auto shows, they are not going to go a location without paved roads anymore. Indiana and Wisconsin both have concrete and paved roads while Illinois continues to have large areas of gravel lots and roads that flood.
And the condition of the barns for livestock shows remains an issue. Including the fact the barns are not heated meaning shows during the winter months are not an option.
2. The fairgrounds has a great reputation for horse shows. However, a former Dept of Ag staffer said when it comes to going after large horse shows, the smaller shows that bring 50-75 horses scream their heads off if they are told their dates need to be given to shows that can bring in 300-500 horses. And they scream to the members of the GA who then scream to the Gov and Ag Director.
3. Other than the Orr Bldg and Illinois Bldg, there are no large areas with climate controlled space that could be used November-March. The Artisans Bldg is too small and the Expo Bldg has no heat. You can’t attract trade shows or conventions to areas without heat or AC.
To me, the biggest mistake the City of Springfield made when building the convention center was not doing a partnership with the State of Illinois to locate it on the State Fairgrounds where parking would never be an issue and a larger arena that would attract larger acts could have been booked both during the fair and year round.
Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:57 pm
Update one of the larger pavilions into a nice beer garden/taproom - work with local brewers. host regular concerts and food trucks there.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:03 pm
A summer series of outdoor concerts or a multi-day music festival would be super. Imogene Iowa has an excellent two day festival, why can’t we? Also, trying to get Nascar to run trucks or even xfinity here would be cool. The own the ARCA series that races here already and the track is iconic in dirt racing history.
Comment by Captain Obvious Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:26 pm
===a multi-day music festival would be super===
They could do several, for various genres.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:28 pm
Community gardens with workshops and classes, more concerts, public ice skating in the winter, family-oriented races like a Turkey Trot 5k on Thanksgiving
Comment by Jagged Little IL Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:30 pm
The hard part about Springfield is Springfield already has a convention center not on the fairgrounds. Convention Center type work seems most obvious. Perhaps a race track like various dirt tracks that get used for auto racing several times a year.
Comment by Blake Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:31 pm
Always wanted to see them use the multi-purpose arena as a concert venue but flip the stage so it could face the hill allowing casual on grass seating. To me if done the right way, that venue is ripe for a jazz/blues type festival but that would require the country music listening Springpatch gang to try something new.
Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:37 pm
I used to work at the fairgrounds and while the official line is, it’s used year-round, I can speak from experience that it wasn’t. There would be the occasional event (high school rodeo, Springfield Mile, etc), they never filled the fairgrounds. The fairgrounds are a major piece of infrastructure that needs millions and millions of dollars to repair and just to maintain. At best, you could use some of the facilities a little more. This idea is trotted out every few years but nothing really happens. Maybe State Fairs’time has passed.
Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:52 pm
New site for reconstruction of the JRTC/water park after the current site is redeveloped?
Comment by Keyrock Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:54 pm
Put a temporary ice chiller in the Coliseum and make it an ice rink for public skate sessions / pickup hockey, etc. That building has the same look of some of the old school hockey barns in the northeast. Not having heat is probably fine; it would be like an outdoor rink, except shielded from wind/snow.
Of course, any such discussion of year-round revenue generation ought to be coupled with a study of what State Fairground costs look like if only the Springfield facility were to be held, and the Du Quoin fair is discontinued and those facilities sold off. A hard decision for sure, but maybe cutting losses in Du Quoin frees up more capital for rehab/maintenance of permanent structures at the “main fair” in the state capital.
Also, a suggestion for when the fair is “in session:” a seasonal stop on the Chicago - St. Louis Amtrak route, which passes within a block or two of the fairgrounds. The New York state fair has something similar, and passenger trains on the Chi-Stl route are wholly or partly subsidized by the state so it’s entirely possible to at least initiate that discussion with the involved parties (Amtrak, Union Pacific, etc).
Comment by Scooter Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:57 pm
A weekly food truck/craft beer gathering similar to the weekly farmers market. Food to be eaten inside a building in cold weather.
A weekly/bi-weekly craft time set up in one of the buildings. Everyone brings their own desires craft project and supplies. Building provides tables, seating, access to electricity for sewing machines, etc. Retail establishments can help organize this and provide vendors to sell supplies. Small fee of 5-10 dollars charged to participants. People love to craft in groups
Comment by thoughts matter Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:57 pm
===To me, the biggest mistake the City of Springfield made when building the convention center was not doing a partnership with the State of Illinois to locate it on the State Fairgrounds===
While it is beyond the scope of this subject, the Springfield Convention Center was located where it is as part of the effort to totally destroy “The Levee District” from the 1908 Race Riot era. And the Fairgrounds (except the firehouse) is unincorporated Sangamon County, not Springfield.
Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:05 pm
How about a giant pickers mart or flea market on a regular basis. There sure is enough space.
Comment by Captain Who Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:13 pm
==And the Fairgrounds (except the firehouse) is unincorporated Sangamon County, not Springfield.==
Langfelder tried to get the City to annex the Fairgrounds in early 2018, but it didn’t get much traction:
https://capitolfax.com/2018/02/02/springfield-wants-to-step-in-to-solve-a-state-problem/
Comment by EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:37 pm
Running of the political bull.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:48 pm
Rides, food venders, livestock judging, live music…
Comment by Nick Name Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 3:32 pm
Put in an outdoor fitness loop, farmers market, and a summer beer garden with entertainment…all renewable energy run.
Comment by Loop Lady Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 3:50 pm
A large indoor grow operation to be part of the Conservation World. During the fair, kids could harvest and package a sample to take home to the folks.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 4:07 pm
First of all, not to get too far off topic but to make it clear, the convention center is not run by the city. It’s a separate special purpose district (which does include the fairgrounds) with its own governing board so the fact the fairgrounds are in unincorporated Sangamon County is irrelevant.
Secondly, as noted by others without extensive capital improvements this discussion is premature. But any capital plan has to be done with a focus on what will make the fairgrounds truly useful year round. But it should be something that can draw people in, not just be used for local events. I would also like to see some thought towards are there any exhibitions/areas (for example Conservation World) that could be used for educational activities by DNR or Ag outside of the State Fair. Anything that could get school field trips to town would be a benefit to the area and a good use of taxpayer dollars.
Comment by MyTwoCents Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 4:56 pm
Build a an area for BMX Bikes and other X-treme sports. Also build a Skate- board contest. Tractor-pulls, and other farming games. More rodeos.
Comment by M Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 4:58 pm
Polo games.
Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 4:59 pm
More Illinois Wine an Beer Festivals at the Fairgrouns.
Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 5:21 pm
Oops… That should read Fairgrounds. Sorry
Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 5:22 pm
Something I post in every fair suggestion thread is; plant some new trees to replace the big old Giants that have fallen to age, storms, or disease. Six governor administrations have just left the trees without replacement and the grounds are becoming an asphalt desert, hot and ugly. Is it so hard to partner with the arborists and get corporate sponsorship to plant new trees?
Also, just curious about the watershed park in Happy Hollow. I don’t think it’s been open since the year it was built… What’s up with that?
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 7:11 pm
It’s a great venue for car shows, as shown by previous success of both the Secretary of State show (which is now held downtown) and the 20 year run that the Valco series of car cruises had there before that organization fell apart. Plus a number of other car shows were temporarily there over the years, bit Springfield wasn’t that welcoming to them … which is why one of them is now an annual event at the Duquoin fairgrounds.
While there were a number of reasons, one of the bigger issues was the ever increasing fees for using the facilities. I’ve been involved with groups that have rented State Fairgrounds facilities or attempted to do so. Those fees ran other groups out of the fairgrounds also.In one case I remember, it was cheaper to rent convention center space than it was the fairgrounds.
Bottom line is part of the reason the fairgrounds aren’t used more is the cost. So if they want more use, they need to be more competitive on price.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 10:25 pm
I’ve got a few ideas. But one is echo from above is pave everything. The area around gate 2 is a mess. The Orr Building parking lots. The back side of the grounds by the fire house. Pave it all. It would immediately help make the grounds look so much better and would cut down on the dust.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 11:12 pm