EDITORIAL: Petition drive doomed by lack of wide support

Opponents of moving the Nebraska State Fair to Grand Island say they have widespread support, but their failure to gather enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot speaks volumes.

That failure says loud and clear that there is not widespread opposition to the move. In fact, Fair Vote Nebraska's inability to  collect enough signatures in 38 counties sends the opposite message than what they were seeking.

Nebraskans living outside of Lincoln are ecstatic to see a statewide event moved out of the capital city. For too long, Lincoln seemed to have a stranglehold on all state tournaments and events.

That tight grip has been loosened. The high school state wrestling meet has been held in Omaha the last couple of years and now the Legislature has voted to move the State Fair to Grand Island.

It's about time.

Nothing against Lincoln; the city is a gracious host. But there are other cities in the state just as capable of handling state, and even national, events.

Grand Island, for instance, is a natural fit for the State Fair. Grand Island lies in the middle of some of the most productive farmland in the world, not to mention the middle of the state, making it a perfect location for showcasing the state's agricultural heritage.

Furthermore, Grand Island has already shown it can handle major events such as Husker Harvest Days, the National 4-H Shooting Championships, the 4-H Horse Expo and the State Cheerleading Championship.

The petition drive's failure validates the work of the Legislature and Gov. Dave Heineman in passing LB1116. They didn't make this decision lightly.

And lost in the talk about the State Fair is that Lincoln really isn't losing out at all. The University of Nebraska plans to convert the current State Fairgrounds into a research and innovation park, which will surely be a boost to the city.

The state's legislators have spoken; a petition drive has failed. It's now time to move forward in implementing the wishes of the state in moving the State Fair to Grand Island.