By Meredith Gardner
meredith.gardner@theindependent.com

If the fair moves, Grand Island and an area on 84th Street in East Lincoln are probably the two most viable spots, said Sen. Philip Erdman of Bayard, chairman of the Legislature Agriculture Committee.

Since their last appearance before the ag committee in December, representatives from Grand Island have had more extensive conversations with Erdman and the State Fair board about a possible move of the fair to Grand Island.

Community leaders are preparing for a Feb. 26 ag committee hearing to address the four bills introduced this year regarding the State Fair. In addition to voicing their support or opposition to the bills, Grand Island representatives hope to be able to provide the Legislature and the State Fair board with more thought-out options for the potential relocation.

"We have said that Grand Island has a good site if the State Fair leaves its current location, and it now sounds like the State Fair is resigned to leaving their current location," said Cindy Johnson, president of the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce.

Grand Island's State Fair recruiting committee has consisted of representatives from the city, chamber of commerce, Grand Island Area Economic Development Corp., Heartland Events Center, Fonner Park and former mayors Ken Gnadt and Jay Vavricek.

And from their point of view, Grand Island's status as an alternate location is promising, said Don Dunn, chairman of the chamber of commerce board of directors.

"I think it's fair, certainly in my opinion, that the State Fair board believes that our facility would be far superior to the 84th Street location," Dunn said.

Jerry Fitzgerald of Gering, State Fair board chairman, confirmed that notion.

"It's a better site than the East Lincoln site," he said.

But before it can work out the details of where it would relocate, the State Fair board must first find out whether it will move at all, Fitzgerald said.

Erdman said in his mind, that's a key question that has not yet been answered.

The State Fair board's first choice would be to stay in place, Fitzgerald said. However, that decision is up to the Legislature.

"We are just the tenants on the State Fair property in Lincoln," Fitzgerald said.

The ag committee began exploring alternative fair sites after University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman, who is on the State Fair board, spoke in August about his hope to use the current fairgrounds for public and private research.

That suggestion has sparked debate about whether the fair should be kept at its current location or moved elsewhere within Lincoln or the state.

The Legislature hired a research consultant to study and deliver a report on the "ideal" Nebraska State Fair. Suggestions included finding a site with at least 1,500 hotel rooms within five miles, a minimum population of 300,000 within 30 miles and at least 450 usable acres of land, among others.

The ag committee then allowed Nebraska communities to voice their interest in becoming alternative locations, and Grand Island was among the many that threw their hats into the ring.

In December, Grand Island representatives traveled to Lincoln to present a proposal on what the city has to offer. Soon after that, State Fair board members came to Grand Island to tour the HEC and Fonner Park.

Grand Island has a promising site, a central location and is a shopping hub for surrounding areas, but does not have the population base that Lincoln, Omaha and spaces in between can offer, Fitzgerald said. If it is asked to move, the fair board may still consider a site between Lincoln and Omaha, he said.

Still, Grand Island community members hope to put together an impressive plan and hammer out the details of how Grand Island would make the fair work here. Dunn said he has been talking with fair board members to get a better idea of what the fair would need if it moved to Grand Island and how much those needs would cost.

The Grand Island group has taken a different approach than the group representing the East Lincoln location, Johnson said. Community representatives will not suggest that the State Fair go into debt for its move, but rather hope to work with the fair board to explore all options.

"I don't think we're arrogant enough to believe we know the best way to pay for the State Fair," Johnson said. "I think that we can help them identify funding sources, but I think we don't intend to tell them how to run the State Fair."

Grand Island representatives have been in contact with University of Nebraska officials to see if the university would be willing to contribute to a move to Grand Island, Dunn said. The university has already offered to raise about $30 million to relocate the fair elsewhere in Lincoln.

"They're the ones getting what they want," Dunn said of the university.

After the Feb. 26 hearing, the Legislature will use the information garnered that day to decide whether the fair should move and, if so, its ideal alternate location. Erdman said state senators would do their best to find the best solution for all parties involved Grand Island, Lincoln, the university, the State Fair board and Nebraska citizens. Erdman said his goal is to have the issue resolved by the end of this year's session April 17 so everyone can move on.

Dunn said he continues to be cautiously optimistic about the possibility of the fair coming to Grand Island.

"I think there is a good deal of momentum for the fair to move out of its current location," Dunn said. "If that occurs, I continue to believe that Fonner Park and Grand Island is far superior to any alternate location in Lincoln."