State Fairgrounds

[jstaylor62]

Yeah ... inviting a few bands and food trucks is pretty hard. The State Fair board would rather make their outrageous fees for food booths during the State Fair than create a new competitive food event for the city. Heck, the town of Pawhuska has developed the idea of the Indian Taco Championship. Just imagine if the State Fair board could develop something similar ... nah, somebody else would have to plan the entire event and turn it over to them to screw up somehow ..

[Plutonic Panda]

I agree. It does seem the fair and/or whoever manages it is really dropping the ball and taking the easy way out.

Monorail needs repairs. Shut down and tear it out. Oh, but we'll leave a part of it left for a Memorial.

Space Needle needs repairs. Too costly. Just let it be until it needs to come down.

No new ideas for anything really big other than this new MAPS Expo Center.

Would be nice to see new venues and something cool like a racetrack. They even tore that out. Hopefully when this new expo center gets completed we see better autoshows. I'd like to see foreign exotic car brands come to OKC.

[Zuplar]

I agree. It does seem the fair and/or whoever manages it is really dropping the ball and taking the easy way out.

Monorail needs repairs. Shut down and tear it out. Oh, but we'll leave a part of it left for a Memorial.

Space Needle needs repairs. Too costly. Just let it be until it needs to come down.

No new ideas for anything really big other than this new MAPS Expo Center.

Would be nice to see new venues and something cool like a racetrack. They even tore that out. Hopefully when this new expo center gets completed we see better autoshows. I'd like to see foreign exotic car brands come to OKC.

Yeah I was really disappointed when they tore down the race track.

[HOT ROD]

guess they'll be in line for Maps 4. ...

[hoya]

Having stuff that makes a lot of money is important. But having cool stuff for the general public is important too.

[Laramie]

The OKC Oklahoma State Fairgrounds is becoming an expo center for horse show events and exhibition shows (auto, fishing, boats, Jacuzzi hot tubs, bimonthly guns shows) for outdoor events'

Maybe we should build a new rodeo Fair Park Arena (15,000 minimum seating) to handle the year round shows, maybe bring back AA ice hockey, All State basketball championships ((All classes, 6A, 5A, 4A etc., & events). Our Fairgrounds attract many events that contribute to the local economy.

As someone mentioned; Fair Park could become our trade show convention & exposition center.

[Bill Robertson]

Hopefully when this new expo center gets completed we see better autoshows. I'd like to see foreign exotic car brands come to OKC.

Unlikely. You have to understand what the Auto Show is. It's put on by a promoter on behalf of the local dealers. The dealers provide the cars. Its all about the dealers selling their cars. If there's no Lambo or whatever dealer in OKC there's not going to be cars of that make.

[Plutonic Panda]

Unlikely. You have to understand what the Auto Show is. It's put on by a promoter on behalf of the local dealers. The dealers provide the cars. Its all about the dealers selling their cars. If there's no Lambo or whatever dealer in OKC there's not going to be cars of that make.

You're right. I have heard a Bentley dealership is coming to OKC sometime soon, but not sure about others.

[bombermwc]

I got my first look at a Maybach at the OKC Car show. i dont remember who brought it in, but it was freaking cool. Got to see a new redesign of the Ford GT that year too....which was also freaking sweet. So we do get some neat stuff beyond the regular vehicles, but if you aren't sure about the car you're going to get next, it's a great NO PRESSURE way to look them all over without the butt fleas.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah the new Maybach is okay. I love the new GT.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^^
It was Mercedes-Benz of OKC who brought Maybach to the show. Maybach's intellectual property was purchased by Diamler in the sixties, and they revived the brand in 2002. M-B OKC has been the dealer point in OKC since that time. The marque took a siesta about the time of the 2008 financial meltdown, has since been revived again, and now exists essentially as a co-branded Mercedes-Maybach luxury model.

[jn1780]

Is the expo center going to actually be open for the state fair? I heard at one point they weren't booking vendors for it. I expect even if they do finish it on time, it will be just car displays with half the building empty.

[Bill Robertson]

Is the expo center going to actually be open for the state fair? I heard at one point they weren't booking vendors for it. I expect even if they do finish it on time, it will be just car displays with half the building empty.

We were told at the Auto Show that we might be the first thing in it next March. They hope that it might be the February Affair Of The Heart. They don't think there's a chance of anything before that.

[Plutonic Panda]

I'll have to do some research on how well the S600 has been doing. The Maybach brand is nice and I really liked the Maybach Landaulet when it was out, but it seems they have had a tough time. I was at the dealership the other day talking with someone and they told me they haven't been selling well, though that could just be that dealership.

[Zorba]

Unlikely. You have to understand what the Auto Show is. It's put on by a promoter on behalf of the local dealers. The dealers provide the cars. Its all about the dealers selling their cars. If there's no Lambo or whatever dealer in OKC there's not going to be cars of that make.

I know that is true for smaller car shows, but the ones I've been to in Cincinnati and Dallas seem like the cars were provided by corporate. Of course, if you have no dealership for a car in town, why would they bring the car either way.

[Bill Robertson]

I know that is true for smaller car shows, but the ones I've been to in Cincinnati and Dallas seem like the cars were provided by corporate. Of course, if you have no dealership for a car in town, why would they bring the car either way.

Ours are provided by our local dealers. I'm there when they bring them in.

[Zorba]

Ours are provided by our local dealers. I'm there when they bring them in.

Yeah, I know, I was including OKC and Tulsa in the "smaller car shows." It would be nice if we could get one along the lines of Cincinnati's.

[warreng88]

Outside chance: Exterior of MAPS 3 expo center should be done before State Fair

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record May 24, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma State Fair attendees will not have to worry about MAPS 3 Expo Center work this year.

MAPS 3 Project Manager David Todd said the construction team is contractually obligated to turn over the building’s exterior to State Fair Park before the annual event. The fair runs Sept. 15-25 this year. Last year, attendees had to wind through detours around the site.

The building measures 201,000 square feet. It includes a 12,000-square-foot lobby, concession areas, a ticketing space and a commercial kitchen.

It expected to be complete Sept. 5. Fairgrounds manager Tim O’Toole said at Tuesday’s MAPS 3 Citizens Advisory Board fairgrounds subcommittee meeting that there is still a lot to do before the building is complete. He reminded the group that this is the 21st month of a projected 18-month build. The project is 84 percent complete.

He said the general contractor ordered glass doors this week, and they won’t arrive for another six weeks. The air conditioning and heating system can’t be tested until the building is sealed with doors and windows and the concrete floor is installed.

“There are some issues,” O’Toole said. “They can be overcome, but they have to be paid attention to. There is a great deal of very precise and quality work that needs to be done.”

Todd said that three months ago the ongoing checklist had 88 items on it, but at the meeting there were only 17. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if about 17 items remain on the list until the building is completed.

One task was to check the paint quality. Todd said a pull-off test was performed this week on multiple paint surfaces. During the test, a device is adhered to the painted surface. If the paint comes with it when pulled, then it’s not properly applied. Todd said all the tested surfaces have passed.

“There are still come issues, but it’s a big construction project,” Todd said. “We feel like it’s going well right now.”

The next step is pouring the interior concrete floor. Quality Control Manager Wes Brannon, an architect with Frankfurt Short Bruza, said it will take eight weeks to complete the slab. The floor is 8 inches thick. It is poured at 400 cubic yards per day, and the pouring occurs three times per week.

Todd said previously that the floor was poured last to protect it from construction accidents. There is no cover on the floor, so any damage to the concrete would be seen.

Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Mike Carrier said his office has already heard from trade shows that are ready to book an event at the new center.

While the expo building is wrapping up, the city is about to build the $274 million convention center downtown. Carrier said the expo center will attract consumer-driven shows, while the convention center will serve as a place for trade-group meetings or youth sports events. With the Chesapeake Energy Arena next to the convention center, he said a general-assembly-type meeting with a trade show could also be held, ultimately drawing up to 15,000 people.

He said the two large facilities will help the city in the future.

“It plays to our benefit to have two buildings that are similar in some regard but very different in others,” Carrier said.

[jn1780]

I hope the convention center construction goes a lot better than the Expo Center construction.

[warreng88]

Flat attendance predicted for state’s fairs

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record August 25, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY – The new Expo Center building at State Fair Park won’t be finished by fair time, officials said this week.

However, State Fair management prepared well in advance of the Sept. 15-25 event to ensure the loss of about 280,000 square feet of exhibit space won’t be noticed by vendors, park President Tim O’Toole said. About 45 product sales booths will be relocated to other spots in the park protected by roofing.

Paving near the Expo Center has been finished and will provide more space for carnival rides and food stands, he said.

The $58.7 million in upgrades made possible by the MAPS 3 sales tax are necessary to keep the park competitive for more than just two weeks of the year, O’Toole said. The livestock barns and other buildings are also used for horse shows, expositions and attractions such as Disney On Ice. Last year’s Frozen ice skating tour was a huge success, he said, but added that the park can’t rely on pop culture trends as it fights for its share of the entertainment market against other venues, sports and electronic games.

Projections suggest flat attendance this year compared with about 900,000 people in 2015, O’Toole said.

“In speaking with our counterparts across the country, if they haven’t been impacted by a weather event such as flood or excessive heat, attendance at fairs has been on par with prior years. Those of us who operate in the oil and gas industry, our fairs are just coming up, so we’ll see,” O’Toole said, adding that Houston and San Antonio fairs at the beginning of the year were attendance successes.

“If you look at the totality of our economy and all the other things going on, if we’re able to maintain status quo, we’d consider that a good year for us,” he said.

According to a market analysis by SmartAssets financial data company, both Tulsa and Oklahoma City fairs are ranked in the top 10 best fairs of the country. Researchers came to their conclusions by a combination of per capita attendance rates, ticket prices, event length and average daily precipitation. Tulsa beat Oklahoma City in the rankings due to stronger attendance last year, SmartAssets reported.

This year, the Tulsa State Fair will run Sept. 29 to Oct. 9 at Expo Square. Fair spokeswoman Sarah Thompson said officials are expecting slightly more than 1 million visitors, equal with attendance for the last five years. That’s OK, though, she said, because the park hasn’t expanded either. A new livestock barn is expected in the next couple of years, she said.

“We have to ask ourselves if we’re remaining true to the traditions and heritage that fairs were built on, such as our livestock shows,” she said. “And we do understand that you have to bring new things each year. We work with industry partners to bring new exhibits and attractions to freshen up our shows and provide a good variety of acts to attract all age groups.”

Both Tulsa and Oklahoma City fair officials said their ticket prices and sales promotions aren’t changing from 2015.

[SoonerDave]

I think the obvious emphasis on the non-fair attractions/uses for the fairgrounds in OKC has taken its toll. Some of us used to enjoy the fair; it was a great annual family tradition. Other priorities trumped, and the fair has suffered for it. The Fair is now just incidental to all the other uses for the Fairgrounds. Alas. C'est la vie.

[warreng88]

I have been to several concerts during the fair in the past years (Sevendust, Blue October, Third Eye Blind) and the lineup this year is just terrible to me. Usually, there is one good rock band, but this year it is Kentucky Headhunters, Leon Russell, The Oak Ridge Boys, Building 429, Elvis Extravaganza, Montgomery Gentry, Eli Young Band, Granger Smith, Midnight Star, Deniis DeYoung and Beatlemania Live. I have literally only heard of three of those bands (besides the Beatle cover, obviously) and could not pick out any one of their songs. I am curious if there is an issue with the construction going on so they aren't able to bring in other bands. I would love for our fair to get to Minnesota State Fair music levels. This year MSF has Charlie Wilson, G. Love and the Special Sauce, Dixie Chicks, Demi Lovato, Weezer, WAR and Bonnie Raitt performing. Even the Washington state fair has Kid Rock, Tim McGraw, For King and Country, DNCE, X Ambassadors, Alan Jackson, Gavin DeGraw, Dierks Bentley, Jeff Foxworthy/Larry the Cable Guy and Train.

[Laramie]

I think the obvious emphasis on the non-fair attractions/uses for the fairgrounds in OKC has taken its toll. Some of us used to enjoy the fair; it was a great annual family tradition. Other priorities trumped, and the fair has suffered for it. The Fair is now just incidental to all the other uses for the Fairgrounds. Alas. C'est la vie.

Agree,

There hasn't been any effort to bring back some of the iconic structures that once defined the State Fair of Oklahoma like the monorail, or space tower. We understand that the old Grand Stands won't be replaced because of the noise level.

There are so many more things on this 400 acre tract of land that could be built; especially since the city owns the land. The 1982 Knoxville World's Fair used less than 70 acres of land.

A replacement (feasibility study) for the ancient 51 year old State Fair Arena sounds encouraging.

We abandoned the idea of a World Fair back in 1989 for the U. S. Olympic Festival. People not in the know thought that our fairgrounds wasn't big enough. Had we landed the World Fair in '89, we would have built many buildings and exhibits that would be standing today--the Fair would have had the largest acreage of any World Fair built upon. We have got to start thinking 'Big.' Get away from this small town mentality.

Organizers want a mass transit system for the exposition to link Will Rogers World Airport with the fairgrounds and downtown Oklahoma City, plus the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the String of Pearls, a series of parks planned along the North Canadian River.

The Oklahoma City Council is considering a feasibility study of a light rail system, with priority given to linking the central business district to the fairgrounds at NW 10 and May.

These ideas aren't knew; we didn't believe in ourselves at the time.

Here's the 1982 link: http://newsok.com/article/1993372

[whorton]

So attendance to the fair is predicted to be flat? Is anyone really suprised?

After the massive gutting the fair took several years ago. . .

Tearing down the grandstand
Tearing down the Monorail
Abandoning the Space Needle
Selling off the Carriage collection
Downsizing the fair

What more could they do to prevent the thing from happening? They have cut all semblence of legacy to the fair for 95% of Oklahoma city. I am 57 and grew up going to the fair in the early 60's when they built all that "stuff" it was always an annual event that we looked forward to attending as a family.

Not anymore. . the OKC fair has all the attraction of Somebody is using a drill to excavate your ingrown toenail.

There is nothing special about it. Even the Tulsa fair has more interest.

Which raises an interesting question. WHAT are they going to do with the fair this year? Shuffle the midway off to the earthen parking lot to the South? Perhaps a mini fair, with 2 rides and three food trucks? Or maybe they will bring in one of the mini shows to the parking lot of a local Taco Bell?

[Pete]

There is very little at any fair that you can't see or experience elsewhere now. Tons more festivals, carnivals and car shows these days.

I suspect attendance at most such fairs is on a downward trajectory.