Attendees packed a small meeting room on July 23 to see the master plan for the Three County Fairgrounds. Yesterday’s Gazette reports:
Bruce Shallcross, general manager of the Three-County Fairgrounds, said the board of directors liked what they saw Tuesday night from Curtis Catron of Knoxville,Tenn.-based Bullock Smith & Partners. Catron presented the master plan to that board and to a neighborhood group Wednesday night…
…Catron said the total cost for the project would be $40 million. He said multiple sources for financing are under consideration, and the entire process could take 10 to 15 years to complete.
The development’s marquee attraction will be a new 80,000-square-foot, climate-controlled exhibition building to be constructed near the back of the fairgrounds at the corner of Fair Street and Cross Path Road…
The exhibition building will enable fairground officials to host various events on a year-round basis, as well as multiple events at one time. In addition to horse shows, the annual fair and Paradise City Arts Festival, the fairgrounds will be able to host computer, flower and antique shows, to name a few…
Here is NSNA’s Google video of the entire meeting (79 minutes) of July 23. Curtis Catron gives a detailed presentation of the master plan and answers questions from the audience.
See also:
Gazette: “Neighbors weigh in on renovation plans” (7/24/08)
Michael Filas, of 222 Bridge St., said he was dismayed by the total asphalt footprint for the plan, which includes the paving of several grass parking lots in the area…
Catron told residents that completion of the exhibition hall alone would increase fairground revenues to nearly $35 million from the current $15.5 million, while hotel taxes would jump from $67,000 to $140,000. State taxes would go up from $490,000 to $1 million.
Springfield Republican: “Northampton gets $25,000 grant to upgrade Three County Fairgrounds” (4/28/08)
Founded in 1818, the Three County Fairgrounds is among the oldest fairgrounds in the country and operates the longest continuously running agricultural fair at summer’s end. Over the past decade, however, the site has shown signs of wear and tear. A few years ago, the Fairgrounds Association dropped pari-mutuel racing from the annual fair. Major customers such as the Morgan Horse Association have also expressed concerned about the deteriorating conditions of the fair’s stables.
3 County Fair Website