EDITORIAL: Who’s in charge of the local State Fair planning?

Three months after the governor has signed the bill allowing the State Fair to relocate to Grand Island, there is still much work to be done. The clock is ticking as the 2010 State Fair is scarcely two years away from opening its doors in Grand Island.

Obviously the work on the city's commitment to fund the $8.5 million is continuing. The council and mayor seem to be in agreement that the Fair is a worthy jewel to pursue. The only discussions in city council meetings have revolved around a $5 million bond that will be paid by a 2% occupation tax on restaurants, lounges and fast food operations. That still leaves $3.5 million to be raised locally. Who is in charge of this effort?

Simultaneously, the programming and development of the Fair must be happening now as well. Part of the false information  being circulated in the community is that the city is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fair, from lining up entertainment to staffing the myriad of activities. That chore is the sole responsibility of the State Fair Board. The board and the experienced  State Fair staff will do the daily planning and operational logistics necessary to ensure the successful operation of the event. The city government has nothing to do with that.

Certainly there is the opportunity for local involvement at many levels for those who want to help Grand Island make the Fair successful. Any project can never have enough smart people involved. We look to the State  Fair Board for some information soon on how they see the local community's input.

The design of buildings and grounds must be occuring quickly as well. Much of that depends on the programming details.

This corner has favored the State Fair's  relocation to Grand Island since 2001. All along we have encouraged the Fair to reinvent itself in a fresh location with an emphasis on celebrating the state's agricultural industry. This is an opportunity to allow various segments of agribusiness to educate the populace on the global impact of Nebraska's largest industry. But it needs to be done in an entertaining and dynamic venue that will have more energy than the current facilities in Lincoln. When the brainstorming and programming have been determined, it will allow for the grounds to be designed properly.

Fonner Park will allow for a far better parking situation than the current fairgrounds in Lincoln. The entrance and egress will be better as well. There will be more room for public plaza space.  In every conceivable detail, Fonner Park and a newly designed campus for the fair will allow for a more pleasant experience. But the clock is ticking and the broad planning strokes must be created soon.

  A vexing problem for the public remains, however. It is still not clear who is in charge  of the local contingent for overall local planning purposes. Obviously the city must be involved as well as Fonner Park. The Chamber must be involved as well. But who is in charge? We hope the State Fair Board will step up and give the local groups an idea of what they are looking for in terms of involvement and how the local committee should be structured. It seems reasonable to expect a local person or committee to be formed to assist in presenting an energetic fair that will lure more visitors to the area.

The relocated State Fair gets one chance to make a first impression. Area residents want to make sure that impression is over the top and enormously successful. But somebody has to be in charge locally. The clock is ticking.