By Greg Rayburn
Arkansas News Bureau

JACKSONVILLE — After years of study and proposals for relocating the Arkansas State Fair, officials’ most likely move is to keep headquarters for the annual 10-day event at the current cramped urban location, the fair’s general manager says.

Fair officials know what it takes to make the State Fair more visible, accessible and potentially more profitable – move the fair from the current 96-acre site along Roosevelt Road in south-central Little Rock to hundreds of acres at a site along the Interstate 40/I440 corridor between North Little Rock and Jacksonville.

The advantages are evident, officials say.

“In another location, like along an interstate with more visible and accessibility, we can bring in more events that would be a huge economic development issue for Central Arkansas,” State Fair General Ralph Shoptaw said. “RV groups and the equestrian business (are) huge in Arkansas. We were told (by) the RV and equestrian people, because of where we are located and being on the interstate in the Central United States, that we would draw from shows in the East and West Coast because they are looking for a central location for their shows.”

With prospects for hosting additional events , the economic impact of moving the fair could be up to $30 million a year, Shoptaw said. But the cost, in excess of $190 million according to a 2011 study, is all but prohibitive after North Little Rock voters last fall defeated a sales tax increase proposed in part to help fund the move.

The city of Jacksonville continues to push for the State Fair, offering to donate a 450-acre site along the interstate complete with a ready-made highway interchange.

“We’ve got a six-lane freeway through here with interchanges, and the land surrounding it is undeveloped,” Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher said in November. “Imagine driving down the interstate and being able to see the state fair midway all lit up at night. That in itself ought to attract several more thousand visitors a year.”

In addition to greater accessibility and visibility, Fletcher said new fair facilities at a new site would make the State Fair safer for families, which he said could increase attendance by up to 50 percent.

But even donated land would not address the biggest obstacle to a move, Shoptaw said.

“The problem is, you have to build the facility,” he said. “You have to buy the land, but you have to build the facility, and that is the big obstacle. It is getting the facility so we can have these events. Even if someone gave us the land, it could still cost $80 million or $90 million.”

Due to the huge upfront costs, the fair board has opted for the foreseeable future to keep the State Fair at its current location, which includes a Hall of Industry showroom, Barton Coliseum and barns and stalls for the annual livestock exposition held in conjunction with the fair.

Officials are considering options for improving the site. Shoptaw said he plans to concentrate this year on efforts to buying vacant homes nearby to make way for more parking and making repairs to existing facilities.

“The facilities do need to be repaired and updated. The coliseum restrooms need updating terribly. I don’t know if we will borrow money to do that. That would be up to the board. We possibly could ask our foundation to help raise some money through private and corporate donations to help with remodeling, renovations and possibly enlarging what we have,” he said.

The fair does get some of its revenue from the state because the state owns the land. But the fair board maintains the property, and in the present economy, the state setting aside millions of dollars to help renovate State Fair facilities likely is not a high priority, Shoptaw said.

The city of Little Rock recently performed a study on the fairgrounds and determined that $25 million could be used for general renovation and $119 million for constructing a new facility or a phased-in development that would cost $57 million, Shoptaw said.

Although the revenue to finance a new State Fair complex is lacking, the Arkansas Livestock Show Association, the umbrella organization that owns much of the State Fair complex, is that it carries no debt. The fair manager said the lack of ongoing debt would benefit a renovation program.

“I figure we could carry an annual debt service of $2 million and renovate some of the buildings. Maybe we could try and get some grants or get the foundation to help raise some money,” he said.