State Fairgrounds

[LakeEffect]

Populous did the design for the building. FSB is doing the construction documents. The building promised in the MAPS 3 renderings was way too pricey.

I thought FSB was lead, with Populous as sub-consultant.

[OKVision4U]

Populous did the design for the building. FSB is doing the construction documents. The building promised in the MAPS 3 renderings was way too pricey.

Too Pricey? ...or just wanted all the other new buildn's to be metal sheds too. ? Yes, Like I said... A Bait & Switch.

[TechArch]

I believe the renderings may have been done for the MAPS 3 campaign by Skyline Ink. These were just a hypothetical of what the building could be.

[CuatrodeMayo]

The new exhibition hall at the fairgrounds is a giant metal building?

Shocker!

Seriously....who wasn't expecting this?

[Pete]

Seriously....who wasn't expecting this?

Unfortunately, everyone that was duped by the original renderings that promised something infinitely nicer.

Always a bad idea to over-promise and then under-deliver.

[Spartan]

That's why it's stupid to blow MAPS money on the fairgrounds. And then that subcommittee even jock if to get their project moved up the priority list when it should've been last.

[soonerguru]

Turn my head when I pass the fairgrounds now. It's too heartbreaking- the monorail, the speedway, the extravaganza that used to be the state fair. It's an elitist playground now, no longer the people's fairground. Why does my 81 years mom have to fund their elitist projects? rem when the deed done to the historic sfs(who paid for that?maps3?)in Mick's solemn smarmy announcement he promised to fill the motorsports void quick time- still waiting. Mick later bragged about having the money to do it so quickly like it was some great civic accomplishment.

Elitist playground? Your hyperbole is breathtakingly idiotic.

Are the state fairgrounds where the elitists gather to enjoy turkey legs and FFA gatherings?

[CuatrodeMayo]

These elitists?

15 Best Oklahoma State Fair Photos of all Time | The Lost Ogle

[Edgar]

Elitist playground? Your hyperbole is breathtakingly idiotic.

Are the state fairgrounds where the elitists gather to enjoy turkey legs and FFA gatherings?

Every tme I pass by there are acres of expensive horse trailors.

[Rover]

Horse trailers from out of town represent elitists? Boy, somebody has a SERIOUS inferiority complex or a screwed up sense of class structure. LOL.

[Jeepnokc]

Horse trailers from out of town represent elitists? Boy, somebody has a SERIOUS inferiority complex or a screwed up sense of class structure. LOL.

Horse trailers from out of town represent $money$. Out of town money being spent at OKC restaurants, hotels, gas stations, Walmart, local bars, etc. I don't care if they are elitists are not when they come to my office and write a retainer check.

[Pete]

The various events at the fairgrounds are why the hotels and restaurants along I-40 & Meridian are so busy and many more are being built.

Brings a ton of money into town all year long.


In my younger days, I worked at one of those hotels and we'd get absolutely swamped anytime there was something happening at the fairgrounds.

[adaniel]

Yep. Friday night during the spring you can drive down Meridian and the hotel parking lots are full of horse trailers. A good friend of mine and his family co-manage one of the hotels in this area and the vast majority of his business is either horse show attendees or FAA trainees.

If you believe the chamber of commerce, OKC has more horse shows and equine events than any other city in the world, contributing north of $120 million to this area's economy. Don't see how anyone could have a problem with this.

[soonerguru]

Yep. Friday night during the spring you can drive down Meridian and the hotel parking lots are full of horse trailers. A good friend of mine and his family co-manage one of the hotels in this area and the vast majority of his business is either horse show attendees or FAA trainees.

If you believe the chamber of commerce, OKC has more horse shows and equine events than any other city in the world, contributing north of $120 million to this area's economy. Don't see how anyone could have a problem with this.

We pass by the fairgrounds frequently throughout the week and there are almost always horse trailers and horse shows going on -- like almost every weekend. I don't think people realize how much money these people spend in OKC and how frequent these events are. It's a great thing for our tourism economy, our attractions, restaurants, retailers and hotels.

$120 million may actually be a conservative figure.

[ljbab728]

I drove by the fairgrounds late tonight on the way home and the parking lot was packed with horse trailers. This is very good and lucrative business for OKC.

[Urbanized]

The tourism/convention business is so thoroughly misunderstood and under-appreciated by the average person, and even often by some of the leadership of our city and state. People come here by choice from other parts of the country and literally drop off sacks of money into our economy and tax base, with very little burden on our infrastructure. What's not to like?

[Edgar]

The horse and pig shows are lucrative for the city but no one cares about them. The fairgrounds are a private enterprise now. They sold off the people's artifacts, razed the hip cool space age monorail, razed the historic SFS and now we have no motorsports in OKC. Was that progress?!

[kevinpate]

Those horse folks play a large role in the fact that about 33-38% of the MAPs tax is paid by folks from outside OKC. And they are regular contributors to the hotel tax and the regular sales tax as well. It's definitely a lot of income every year.

[Jeepnokc]

The horse and pig shows are lucrative for the city but no one cares about them. The fairgrounds are a private enterprise now. They sold off the people's artifacts, razed the hip cool space age monorail, razed the historic SFS and now we have no motorsports in OKC. Was that progress?!

Anytime you bring in out of town money, it contributes to our growth and progress. I would guess that about 15% my company's revenue is from non okc residents that are in OKC for fairground activities, Thunder games, bricktown or river activities. Their retainers allow my business to grow which has allowed us as a small business to hire three additional full time employees in last couple of years and start construction on a new building downtown. This new construction will keep those in the building trade employed. This new building on what was empty land will now generate higher property taxes for the state and city which then allows them to buy new police cars and add more police officers who then visit more donut shops for coffee. The city can hire more firemen that can pay other firemen $200.00 to cover their shift while they have other businesses on the side. (wait..that's a whole different story where firemen can pay someone to work their shift and they still get their full paycheck and benefits) These additional police officers make more DUI arrests which then allows my business to grow even more. Pretty simple math here.....

[Edgar]

Anytime you bring in out of town money, it contributes to our growth and progress. I would guess that about 15% my company's revenue is from non okc residents that are in OKC for fairground activities, Thunder games, bricktown or river activities. Their retainers allow my business to grow which has allowed us as a small business to hire three additional full time employees in last couple of years and start construction on a new building downtown. This new construction will keep those in the building trade employed. This new building on what was empty land will now generate higher property taxes for the state and city which then allows them to buy new police cars and add more police officers who then visit more donut shops for coffee. The city can hire more firemen that can pay other firemen $200.00 to cover their shift while they have other businesses on the side. (wait..that's a whole different story where firemen can pay someone to work their shift and they still get their full paycheck and benefits) These additional police officers make more DUI arrests which then allows my business to grow even more. Pretty simple math here.....

and people came from all over to race on Friday nights and stayed in hotels and ate in restaurants but the elitists tore down our track because they didn't like their ses status.

[catch22]

Edgar, stand up comedy is in your future. Or present.

*drops mic*

[jn1780]

The horse and pig shows are lucrative for the city but no one cares about them. The fairgrounds are a private enterprise now. They sold off the people's artifacts, razed the hip cool space age monorail, razed the historic SFS and now we have no motorsports in OKC. Was that progress?!

There are a lot more people who care about the horse and pig shows than what was demolished. The SFS probably had at most 2000 people every friday and the old run down "space age" monorail was used 2 weeks of the year.

Besides the new building is targeting more events besides horse and pig shows such as auto and boat shows so yes I do call that progress besides being in an ugly building.

[Bill Robertson]

and people came from all over to race on Friday nights and stayed in hotels and ate in restaurants but the elitists tore down our track because they didn't like their ses status.

I miss the speedway as much as anyone. There was an occasional Texas or Kansas car one regular driver from Wichita but other than that everyone was from in state. The track didn't generate much out-of-towner revenue. And while it was packed in the 60s, 70s and 80s it got too expensive for many to keep cars and with fewer cars the attendance went way down. I wish the track was still there but I can see where it being gone isn't making much financial difference to anyone.

[Edgar]

I miss the speedway as much as anyone. There was an occasional Texas or Kansas car one regular driver from Wichita but other than that everyone was from in state. The track didn't generate much out-of-towner revenue. And while it was packed in the 60s, 70s and 80s it got too expensive for many to keep cars and with fewer cars the attendance went way down. I wish the track was still there but I can see where it being gone isn't making much financial difference to anyone.

right, wasn't an expense and gave the guys who bust stones in the shop all week fixing our cars a place to race on Friday night- the people's fairgrounds.

[warreng88]

right, wasn't an expense and gave the guys who bust stones in the shop all week fixing our cars a place to race on Friday night- the people's fairgrounds.

Edgar, what do you think makes more money: all the animal shows listed above multiple nights a week or the races 40 or Friday nights a year?