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Fair petition failure frees can-do spirit

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Friday, Jul 18, 2008 - 12:47:09 am CDT

Now that the attempt to put the Nebraska State Fair move on the ballot has failed, supporters should rev back up to full speed to make the move successful.

Organizers of the petition-gathering effort are muttering darkly about legal options.

We hope they conclude that such a move would not be in the state’s best interests. It’s time to move on.

Related Media

The story so far: Nebraska State Fair

Get background and the latest developments on moving the Nebraska State Fair from State Fair Park in Lincoln. (Laura Meerkatz / JournalStar.com)...

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If there truly were a groundswell of grass roots opposition to the move, organizers would have succeeded in gathering enough signatures to put the issue on the November ballot.

Planning for a new fair in Grand Island and the creation of Innovation Park on the former 251-acre fairgrounds in Lincoln should be allowed to continue without concern that the effort would be wasted.

Unfortunately, the signature-gathering effort has revived bitter feelings and interfered with fundraising efforts in Grand Island.

Now the positive aspects of the move can be emphasized. The uncertainty of the past six weeks can quickly be put in the past.

The Grand Island Independent reports that most elected officials in the area recognize that the fair can be an economic boon for the area.

Grand Island Mayor Margaret Hornady should be commended for kicking off regular planning meetings earlier this month. The community faces a July 1, 2009, deadline to raise $8.5 million for moving the fair to Fonner Park in Grand Island.

The first $3 million is to be committed by Oct. 1 under the timetable set out in the legislative bill authorizing the move.

Meanwhile, the University of Nebraska has issued a “request for information” to stir up and flesh out ideas on how to develop Innovation Campus, the research and development campus that will take shape on the former fairgrounds adjacent to the UNL campus.

So far, the reaction to the planned campus is encouraging. UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said last week that officials already have been contacted by several national firms.

One of those firms, he said, voiced a willingness to pay for some of the infrastructure that will be needed. An estimated $10 million worth of upgrades will be needed for roads, sidewalks, sewers and electrical systems.

The legislation calls for the state fair to move by 2010.

“We want to be ready on Jan. 1, 2010, to get things moving,” Perlman said last week.

That’s the sort of confidence and optimism that’s needed to accomplish ambitious things. We hope to see that can-do spirit spread in the coming months.


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independent wrote on July 18, 2008 6:12 am:
" Go for it! "

 Scott B wrote on July 18, 2008 8:42 am:
" Yes! If Everyone would please kindly shut up about the State Fair now, that'd be great. "

 Sean wrote on July 18, 2008 8:58 am:
" LOL...Good luck on that one! "

 while wrote on July 18, 2008 9:15 am:
" I agree with giving the fair to grand island, I question why innovation park always has to be mentioned in the stories. It seems like the article is stiring the pot a little big more. Also, it seems like people like to use a old SeaBee term. "Can Do" was used by the WW2 Seabees and has been the speakword for the Seabees since. It doesn't seem as good when people use it in everyday terms. How many people use "Semper Fi" in their everyday terminology? Treat the terms the same. I am a Seabee and wish the public would dream up their own terms. "

 mitchy_v wrote on July 18, 2008 9:30 am:
" good, lets move on. "

 Hamon Righ wrote on July 18, 2008 9:37 am:
" Yes, let's just settle this and get the fair moved on. Please, let's not see a post petition legal battle. Not nearly enough petitions were signed. It's over. And I'm tired of the argument, "Petitioners didn't have enough time." Maybe there was a smaller window to work in, but there was unprecedented (as far as specific petitions goes) coverage in the paper, on radio, and on tv. The public was superserved with information in which they could have found the web site and signed the petition. That is, if they really cared. They don't. Please don't end up like a lot of special interest groups, that are in the minority, in this country running around screaming "I'm right! I'm right! I'n not going to pay attention to the facts and I'm going to use irrational arguments because I know THAT I AM RIGHT!!!" who are trying to impose their will on the majority. "

 taxpayer wrote on July 18, 2008 9:37 am:
" While there may have been a groundswell to save the Fair the true failure is in the planning. The law is very clear on the 90 day time limit for referendum petitions. The organizers stated that they only had 6 weeks to gather signatures too bad they wasted the first 6 seeks trying to get organized. Makes me wonder if the drives was really as serious as all were led to believe or just for publicity. "

 Mike D. wrote on July 18, 2008 11:05 am:
" The petition drive did not fail because of lack of support, it was because of the short time frame and the lack of finances to get the message and petitions in front of the required number of people. Lots of people called wondering where to sign even though we had dozens of places listed on the web site. Not everyone has computer access or lives on their computer. There were also hundreds of people who didn't sign because of intimidation from employers and the University.

FairVoteNebraska.com is not against an innovation park, but rather thinks it should be built somewhere else. This vague concept that has no firm plan, timetable, price tag, or funding source does not merit the destruction of the State Fair, Nebraska horse racing, Americruise, and the hundreds of other revenue generating events at State Fair Park.

If the JournalStar really believed in Democracy they would have published the petition signing locations and encouraged people who wanted a voice to sign it. If this whole move is such a good deal for the State, why are the newspaper, University, and Legislature so afraid to let the people who will get stuck with the bill vote on it? "

 Hamon Righ wrote on July 18, 2008 11:49 am:
" To Mike D.: Intimidation? Hundreds of people were intimidated at work and at the University???? What is this Rwanda? Where did you get that nugget of information? Even if there was "intimidation" at the work place and the University, would the number of "intimidated" actually have made a difference in the overall outcome? I think not.
The newspaper doesn't have to publish the locations. Maybe the organizers should have bought some advertising like all successful campaigns. Again, I point to the gigantic amount of news stories that covered this whole thing giving out every bit of information about the petition for the last month and a half. Trying to reason with you guys on this one is like dealing with zealots.
I'm letting it go with this last comment. Moving on to something that might help the economy or keep my energy costs down or will make the world a beter place. Not just some grand idea of tradition in little ole' Lincoln, but on a greater, grander scale of betterment. Can you? "

 intimidation wrote on July 18, 2008 1:03 pm:
" Yes this did go on many people told me they were not going to sign becasue their business they worked for had connections to the university and were afraid that their names would be seen on the petition. "

 Not Enough Information wrote on July 18, 2008 2:06 pm:
" I am not against an "Innovation Park" but I have yet to hear exactly how this complex is going to generate revenue for the city of Lincoln. Losing the State Fair Park (not just the State Fair) IS sad for anyone who attended the Heritage school, enjoys going to the horse races, and supports the hockey team..etc. People are so focused on the State Fair that they forget about all the other revenue generating events that take place there throughout the year. Does the price of moving the fair include building a new horse racing track? Icebox? Relocating the Heritage School? I haven't heard ANYTHING about that. "

 gonzilla wrote on July 18, 2008 3:35 pm:
" From what I have heard and read, the drive had plenty enough signitures from Lincoln/Omaha/GI (yes, the same GI that is getting the fair). It was getting signitures from 35 smaller counties they were having problems with. When you have a large land area with a sparse poputlation, it took too much time to get the signitures.

It will cost millions upon millions of dollars to keep the fair on life support in GI. Anything that will be spent to keep the fair in a professionally recommended population base is worth it.

Lincoln/Nebraska will not see revenue from Innovation Park for 10-20 years. There is no reason to believe people will drive from the Lincoln/Omaha area to support the fair in GI. This is just not going to be economically feasible. "

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