Fair board considering campaign
Will it be the hard sell, the soft sell or something in between?
That's one of the questions Nebraska State Fair board members are trying to answer as they prepare for the July 1 launch of a campaign meant to explain why voters should give them $2 million per year from the state lottery.
The more direct, business-oriented sales pitch could center on the 100,000-square-foot event center and the new grandstand with a mile-long horse-racing track that topped a wish list circulated at the board's June meeting in Lincoln Friday.
But interim Executive Director Joe McDermott also offered a softer-edged "Showcase Nebraska" vision. It would try to persuade voters by portraying the 10-day event as an enthusiastic promoter of education, entertainment, agriculture and tourism.
The crafting of a message to voters could make a big difference at the ballot box, said Mark Whitehead of Lincoln, also involved in Friday's discussion as chairman of the State Fair Foundation.
"In order for Amendment 4 to pass," Whitehead said, "we've got to have a vision created as to what the new state fair is going to look like."
After much debate, the 2004 Legislature agreed to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot that would use a portion of lottery proceeds to rescue the fair from the financial effects of declining revenue and attendance.
State Fair Park closed out in 2003 with almost $1 million in debt. Accumulating budget pressures also pushed about a third of the work force off the payroll earlier this year before Pat Lloyd left the top management job and assumed similar duties with the more successful Ozark Empire Fair in Missouri.
As the financial outlook deteriorated, several board members have suggested the century-old fair tradition might be over unless voters provide a regular source of revenue to fix leaky roofs and complete other repairs and renovations to the grounds to attract an audience that declined another 16 percent last year.
As they try to influence the November outcome, board members also have emphasized the need to separate the sunny potential for a new fair era from an old one that has turned into a dark struggle for survival.
Board member Jack Peetz of Lincoln said Friday that a message that emphasizes construction and spending might not be the one voters want to hear.
"I think, if we lead with these facilities, we might be in trouble, because they don't see the big picture," he said of voter reaction.
That struck a chord with Van Neidig of Battle Creek and Sallie Atkins of Halsey.
"I'd be scared to death to even let people consider a new grandstand," Neidig said. "Because people are going to say, 'Why spend money on a grandstand? You don't have the people there anyway.'"
Said Atkins:"It's going to be very hard to sell these buildings to Nebraskans."
Of course, building options remain on the minds of state fair management for reasons. One is the widely held belief that State Fair Park needs a major exposition building, at a possible cost of $9.5 million to $11 million, to showcase the fair and attract trade shows and other money-making events during the 355 days the fair is not going on.
That could become the same building the city of Lincoln is considering as a replacement for Pershing Center.
McDermott also made the case for spending $8 million to $10 million to scale down a grandstand and scale up a horse-racing track from five-eighths of a mile to the mile length he said has attracted better horses and bigger purses to Des Moines, Iowa, Canterbury Downs in Minnesota and other racing venues.
"I can tell you all the better tracks in the country are a mile," he said.
Among the places where proponents will try to sell the ballot measure is in booths they plan to staff at dozens of county fairs this summer.
Whether it's the hard sell or the soft alternative, said McDermott, "What we need to be able to convince the voters of is that it's going to strengthen the fair financially."
Reach Art Hovey at (402) 523-4949 or ahovey@;journalstar.com.
That's one of the questions Nebraska State Fair board members are trying to answer as they prepare for the July 1 launch of a campaign meant to explain why voters should give them $2 million per year from the state lottery.
The more direct, business-oriented sales pitch could center on the 100,000-square-foot event center and the new grandstand with a mile-long horse-racing track that topped a wish list circulated at the board's June meeting in Lincoln Friday.
But interim Executive Director Joe McDermott also offered a softer-edged "Showcase Nebraska" vision. It would try to persuade voters by portraying the 10-day event as an enthusiastic promoter of education, entertainment, agriculture and tourism.
The crafting of a message to voters could make a big difference at the ballot box, said Mark Whitehead of Lincoln, also involved in Friday's discussion as chairman of the State Fair Foundation.
"In order for Amendment 4 to pass," Whitehead said, "we've got to have a vision created as to what the new state fair is going to look like."
After much debate, the 2004 Legislature agreed to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot that would use a portion of lottery proceeds to rescue the fair from the financial effects of declining revenue and attendance.
State Fair Park closed out in 2003 with almost $1 million in debt. Accumulating budget pressures also pushed about a third of the work force off the payroll earlier this year before Pat Lloyd left the top management job and assumed similar duties with the more successful Ozark Empire Fair in Missouri.
As the financial outlook deteriorated, several board members have suggested the century-old fair tradition might be over unless voters provide a regular source of revenue to fix leaky roofs and complete other repairs and renovations to the grounds to attract an audience that declined another 16 percent last year.
As they try to influence the November outcome, board members also have emphasized the need to separate the sunny potential for a new fair era from an old one that has turned into a dark struggle for survival.
Board member Jack Peetz of Lincoln said Friday that a message that emphasizes construction and spending might not be the one voters want to hear.
"I think, if we lead with these facilities, we might be in trouble, because they don't see the big picture," he said of voter reaction.
That struck a chord with Van Neidig of Battle Creek and Sallie Atkins of Halsey.
"I'd be scared to death to even let people consider a new grandstand," Neidig said. "Because people are going to say, 'Why spend money on a grandstand? You don't have the people there anyway.'"
Said Atkins:"It's going to be very hard to sell these buildings to Nebraskans."
Of course, building options remain on the minds of state fair management for reasons. One is the widely held belief that State Fair Park needs a major exposition building, at a possible cost of $9.5 million to $11 million, to showcase the fair and attract trade shows and other money-making events during the 355 days the fair is not going on.
That could become the same building the city of Lincoln is considering as a replacement for Pershing Center.
McDermott also made the case for spending $8 million to $10 million to scale down a grandstand and scale up a horse-racing track from five-eighths of a mile to the mile length he said has attracted better horses and bigger purses to Des Moines, Iowa, Canterbury Downs in Minnesota and other racing venues.
"I can tell you all the better tracks in the country are a mile," he said.
Among the places where proponents will try to sell the ballot measure is in booths they plan to staff at dozens of county fairs this summer.
Whether it's the hard sell or the soft alternative, said McDermott, "What we need to be able to convince the voters of is that it's going to strengthen the fair financially."
Reach Art Hovey at (402) 523-4949 or ahovey@;journalstar.com.
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