State Fair of Arkansas Staying Put in Little Rock
By: Josh Berry
Updated: October 2, 2012
The Arkansas State Fair is staying put.
An executive committee made the decision Thursday (6/14) to attempt to expand the current location, rather than attempt to relocate.
People in the surrounding neighborhood specifically to the East, shouldn't have too much to worry about.
The State Fair General Manager, despite a letter from the City of Little Rock saying they could, does not foresee the board making the decision to take someone's home in an expansion.
They plan to use other options the City of Little Rock brought forward in the expansion of the fair grounds.
The City of Little Rock has won over.
Proposed opportunities for growth convinced the Arkansas Livestock Show Association Board of Directors to stay.
Other opportunities to move were presented, including free property from North Little Rock and Jacksonville. The fair just didn't have enough money to actually build facilities on that land.
Board Chairman, Ned Purtle said, "It would cost so much in the supposed location to do the dirt work, the ground work and to build those buildings."
They claim they're undersized. The fairgrounds cover 96 acres. The average state fair is 366 acres.
A merge of the nearby railroads to the West would clear quite a bit of land for use.
They've also discussed constructing an entrance road that would open the fair to I-30 to the south. They said direct access to an interstate is crucial to any fair.
In all, there's over 100 acres of potential growth around the fair.
In addition to the GM, the board agrees, eminent domain will not be option moving forward.
Board member, Bruce Maloch said, "We're not going to be moving people out of properties but if there are properties available, particularly to our east where we might do some expansion, then we would like to acquire those when they are available."
For now they'll focus on improving current facilities.
"What we got are useable and satisfactory, they're just not as nice as folks would like to go to," Purtle said.
He claimed it's like comparing Barton Coliseum and Verizon Arena.
GM, Ralph Shoptaw said, "If we can make the improvements that we need to make to Barton Coliseum, the building itself will be more enticing."
They hope enticing enough to bring attractions like boat and car shows.
The City of Little Rock will give the committee $300,000 a year from a recent sales tax increase to last the next decade. In all, the committee will receive three million dollars.
Shoptaw said that's how long it will take to actually improve the entire fair grounds.
By that time though, he said things could still change drastically.
"It's hard to commit future board members to we are going to stay here we aren't going to stay here. That'll be their decision long after I'm gone."
An executive committee made the decision Thursday (6/14) to attempt to expand the current location, rather than attempt to relocate.
People in the surrounding neighborhood specifically to the East, shouldn't have too much to worry about.
The State Fair General Manager, despite a letter from the City of Little Rock saying they could, does not foresee the board making the decision to take someone's home in an expansion.
They plan to use other options the City of Little Rock brought forward in the expansion of the fair grounds.
The City of Little Rock has won over.
Proposed opportunities for growth convinced the Arkansas Livestock Show Association Board of Directors to stay.
Other opportunities to move were presented, including free property from North Little Rock and Jacksonville. The fair just didn't have enough money to actually build facilities on that land.
Board Chairman, Ned Purtle said, "It would cost so much in the supposed location to do the dirt work, the ground work and to build those buildings."
They claim they're undersized. The fairgrounds cover 96 acres. The average state fair is 366 acres.
A merge of the nearby railroads to the West would clear quite a bit of land for use.
They've also discussed constructing an entrance road that would open the fair to I-30 to the south. They said direct access to an interstate is crucial to any fair.
In all, there's over 100 acres of potential growth around the fair.
In addition to the GM, the board agrees, eminent domain will not be option moving forward.
Board member, Bruce Maloch said, "We're not going to be moving people out of properties but if there are properties available, particularly to our east where we might do some expansion, then we would like to acquire those when they are available."
For now they'll focus on improving current facilities.
"What we got are useable and satisfactory, they're just not as nice as folks would like to go to," Purtle said.
He claimed it's like comparing Barton Coliseum and Verizon Arena.
GM, Ralph Shoptaw said, "If we can make the improvements that we need to make to Barton Coliseum, the building itself will be more enticing."
They hope enticing enough to bring attractions like boat and car shows.
The City of Little Rock will give the committee $300,000 a year from a recent sales tax increase to last the next decade. In all, the committee will receive three million dollars.
Shoptaw said that's how long it will take to actually improve the entire fair grounds.
By that time though, he said things could still change drastically.
"It's hard to commit future board members to we are going to stay here we aren't going to stay here. That'll be their decision long after I'm gone."
