Group aims to replace state fair
Silverdome event wouldn’t use taxes
The Michigan State Fair died in 2009, but a team of politicians and businesspeople plans to unveil a statewide replacement Monday that will again bring together agriculture and entertainment — but at no taxpayer expense.
They’ll unveil plans for the Great Lakes Agricultural Fair, to be held inside and outside the Pontiac Silverdome, and without any need for the state funding that former Gov. Jennifer Granholm said required her to close down the state fair. “I think it’s a done deal,” state Rep. Eileen Kowall, R-White Lake Township, said Saturday. No tax dollars would be needed, Kowall said, because expenses will be covered by admission fees and sponsors — led by Auburn Hills’ Genisys Credit Union, whose public relations staff came up with the idea, Kowall said. “The hope is to make the festival an annual event, with a farm market, and live animals and judging, and a huge educational and wellness area … and what’s really exciting is that everything is going to be a Michigan product,” state Rep. Gail Haines, R-Lake Angelus, said. Like the state fair, the festival would have lots of live music, too, from rock to country, but with the Silverdome indoorseating available, the event would not suffer drooping attendance on rainy days, as did the state fair, Haines said. “Michigan’s agricultural industry is the second-largest industry in our state. This is a great way to showcase it,” she said. Silverdome General Manager Grant Reeves, who works for the venue’s Toronto-based owner, said: “The bottom line is there’s been a huge void left by the loss of the state fair.” The Michigan State Fair, which was the nation’s oldest state fair at more than 160 years old when it was canceled in 2009, required about $350,000 of public money in 2008, former general manager Steve Jenkins said Saturday. “But during the entire seven years before it was closed, we generated $31 million in revenue and only $2.1 million was provided in assistance” from Lansing, Jenkins said. “I think there are individuals and nonprofits who would be willing to step forward and revive the Michigan State Fair(without tax dollars) if the Snyder administration would allow utilization of the fairgrounds,” he said. • STAFF WRITER KATHLEEN GRAY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT.
Silverdome is home for state’s new fair
The Great Lakes Agricultural Fair coming to Pontiac in September will incorporate elements found at the former Michigan State Fair without using taxpayer money to help fund the event. Organizers, wanting to fill a void left when the state fair ended in 2009, came up with the agricultural fair, which will run Sept. 2-5 inside and outside the Pontiac Silverdome. The fair will have midway rides, arts, crafts and livestock. Reptiles also will be part of the livestock program. “We’ve purposely designed this event to help merge both rural and urban cultures,” Silverdome general manager Grant Reeves said at a news conference Monday. Music will be a big part of the fair, with each day having a theme: • Friday — R&B/hip-hop day. • Saturday — Country music. • Sunday — Classic rock. • Monday — Battle of the bands competition. The names of the artists performing at the fair were not released. “It’s a great thing for the city,” said Pontiac Mayor Leon Jukowski. Local restaurants and hotels will benefit the most. Reeves said funds for the fair will come from a partnership between the Great Lakes Agricultural Fair nonprofit corporation and the Silver-dome . “We truly do believe we have a financial model that can make this thing a success,” Reeves said. Former Gov. Jennifer Gran-holm said the need for state funding required her to close the Michigan State Fair.
Another three day venue? What about the other 362 days. While I was never much of a fan for the carnival atmosphere disconnect of a lot of the state fair, there are options here to revive the generative aspects and build upon them into a very transformational venue.
ReplyDeleteIf it was up to a vote(and it should be)I would make the case for reinventing the State Fairgrounds into a 365 day learning environment. The fairgrounds would be managed and staffed by a non profit foundation whose mission would be to engage the public into best practice of reinventing community life in the 21st century. There are many attributes for the spot.
Historically as was said this is the site of the oldest state fair.
A natural transportation destination along the Woodward corridor.
Geographically centric to the tri-counties.
Year round examples for sustainable and generative living and learning can be built and practiced here, all with 21st century learning and life skills building at every turn. This is not the place for the list of possibilities, which is long and dynamic.
I have long seen the fairgrounds as a destination spot for a creating community fair that was designed for three days. Why not revive the fairgrounds as a year round incuubator of all things possible. I believe that Southern Exposure Renewable Energy could be persuaded to set up shop there. What's your vote?
The greenhouse project proximity to the Pontiac Silverdome will create a natural connection to all things green.....can't wait to see it...
ReplyDeleteI would vote yes Jim and have thought about the possibilities surrounding that as well, as I'm sure many people have with a love of the State Fair and the healthy mix of Agriculture and Fun. While some of the carnivalesque features were outdated, it would be a good place to showcase new inventions and ideas of entertainment surrounding culinary innovations created from our surrounding agricultural bounty and the rides could be fun and also include some kind of learning, similar to Universal Studios or Epcot. Not sure how that all gets pulled off, but it's something that is fun to imagine and that just requires some thinking outside of the "Elephant Ear" and "Tilt A Whirl" box ;-) And certainly there is no shortage of sentiment regarding desires to see something done at that site. I was amazed to hear what a small portion of $ were actually required from the government to put on the fair vs. the revenue generated. I remember reading about plans from Hantz and S3 Entertainment and some other groups to use the site, but I haven't heard anything lately.
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