Fair gate fee dropped, but revenue still needed

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

In the face of declining interest in the county fair, its volunteer board announced in October that no admission fee will be charged next year. Like the previous two years, there will be no parking fee either.

Since the 2005 fair closed with an estimated attendance of 47,000, the county fair board has sponsored an online survey and a public forum to figure out why people aren't making the trip to the new fairgrounds, also known as The Ranch, east of Interstate 25. The survey garnered 230 responses and about 20 people turned out for the forum, most of those with interest in the 4-H program or rodeo.

The board's decision to eliminate the gate fee of $5 for adults and $3 for children does not come with a plan to replace the revenue needed to offset expenses, however. Fair manager Bob Holt said in a recent interview that the board could look for more sponsorships and maybe place donation buckets at the exit gates. Gate admission this year generated $67,000. In 2004, gate admissions brought in more than $80,000, Holt said.

County manager Frank Lancaster, who has submitted his 2006 budget recommendations to the county commissioners, noted there is no extra subsidy in the proposed budget to offset costs of the county fair at this time. The county already provides about $250,000 a year from the general fund to operate the fairgrounds year-round.

Holt said it costs about $500,000, not including permanent staff salaries, to put on the county fair. Although the final accounting is not complete, he estimated fair revenue this year at $464,000. "Even with admission fees, we're not paying our own way," he said.

Here are some examples of production costs Holt tallied for the 2005 fair.

• $60,000 for concert headliner Randy Travis, with another $10,000 in labor costs for stage setup.
• $100,000 for additional concerts.
• $100,000 to run the PRCA rodeo for three nights. (Rodeo attendance was also down this year, Holt said, but ticket prices had increased to $15 from $10.)
• $60,000 for advertising and promotions.
• $37,000 for security staffing.
• $25,000 for temporary labor.
• $12,000 to judge the 4-H projects.
• $5,000 to lease golf carts to shuttle fairgoers around the grounds.
• $4,000 for portable toilets.

Holt, the fair board and the county commissioners face a daunting task when piecing together citizen expectations given the county has about 283,000 residents and 250 responded through the survey and the forum.

Of the 107 survey respondents who did not attend the fair, most listed cost at the gate and cost of food as their main reasons.

When the survey asked what respondents want to see at the fair, most favored the 4-H and open class exhibits, livestock exhibits, arena events such as roping and the PRCA rodeo. The majority of respondents did not want a shuttle service from Loveland and Fort Collins to the fairgrounds.

County residents attending the fair board's public forum on Oct. 5 advocated for a continued and strong emphasis on agriculture and 4-H. The fair board agreed with many of the comments, including the request to focus more on the area's Hispanic heritage and contributions.

"It seems like the fair is a little bit out of touch with why people go to a fair," said parent and county employee John Lee.

While praising the fairgrounds as a beautiful site, Lee said it has a very corporate feel. "It doesn't feel like a place you take your kids to," he said.

Sandy Knox of Fort Collins told the board it needs to do more to promote the open class exhibits and the need for volunteers.

Fort Collins resident Don Svedman, former manager of the state fair, said that county and state fairs are not intended to make money. "There's not a county fair in Colorado that makes money," he said. "...You should not be judged on your profit and loss statement."

"We need to focus on what we do well," said Dwayne Hummel, chairman of the junior livestock sale committee. For example, Larimer County has one of the best poultry shows in a multi-state region, he said.

Fair board chairman Jim Wooldridge agreed it is difficult for a county fair to make money. "But that doesn't mean you quit," he said.

"We have to keep in the mind, the Larimer County fair is for all," he added.

"I think it's most important we bring Larimer County kids and families back to the fair," said Commissioner Karen Wagner. "Maybe we have to scale down next year and make it just a county fair. ...If we break even that's great, and if we don't, it's our county fair."