Fairgounds Grandstand (demolished)

[UnclePete]

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Driving down May Avenue this morning, I noticed that the Grandstand has been torn down. I thought I read in OKCTalk that the powers that be had decided not to tear it down.

[rcjunkie]

Driving down May Avenue this morning, I noticed that the Grandstand has been torn down. I thought I read in OKCTalk that the powers that be had decided not to tear it down.

The demolation has been planned for several months, several articles were in the paper and stories on local news re: such.

[kevinpate]

When the right someones wants something knocked down, generally speaking, it'll happen.
Could it have been rehabbed? The official word was rehab of the space was not economically feasible.

Some will miss it, others won't. I don't recall what, or even if anything specific, is already planned for that spot.

[progressiveboy]

It needed to come down! It was an ugly eyesore. I do not feel it had any redeeming value, but that is my personal opinion.

[SOONER44EVER]

It wasn't rehabbed because it didn't have anything to do with horses.

[nighttrain12]

I remember many years ago I went to see Tracy Lawrence and Terri Clark in concert there (for 5 dollars!) during the state fair. Terri was the opening act and she was very good. Then Tracy came out and sang 3 songs before he suddenly said he had voice problems and would have to cancel the rest of the concert. Terri came back out and sang at least 30 more minutes. A few days later Tracy got arrested for beating up his Dallas Cowboy cheerleader wife (in another state). Though he didn't get any jail time, it pretty much knocked him off country radio for many years.

[Bigrayok]

I remember when the fair got a new president and he changed a lot of things. I hated the changes. The fair has not been the same to me since, but I have become more accustomed to its current set up. It is going to look weird to not see the grandstand there this year. I wish they would replace those old wooden seats in the arena. They are not very comfortable. I like the Roman architecture of the arena but on the inside it is a very depressing looking building. I love the State Fair. I hope they can make some improvements to make it more modern, but keep the carnival atmosphere.

Bigray in Ok

[Larry OKC]

Interesting coincidence: it cost $25,000 more to tear it down than the cost to fix the "electrical problem" ($400,000 mol). Yes there were going to be other costs to refurb it and make it ADA compliant, but unless those requirements have changed, the State Fair Board had plenty of time to resolve the issues (the ADA Act passed in 1990).

Don't know specifically what is planned for the area since only $60M is earmarked in MAPS 3, but it could be this...

Oklahoma City’s State Fair Park could see $79.5M expo hall (Oklahoman, 4/12/09)

A proposal to build a $79.5 million exposition hall at Oklahoma City ’s State Fair Park has been submitted to the fair’s board of directors as part of a master plan developed by one of the nation’s foremost fairgrounds building design firms.
The focal point of the master plan developed by HOK Smith Forkner is a massive 407,778-square-foot exhibition hall that would include 300,000 square feet of flex...

complete story here (if you have access)
http://www.newsok.com/feed/oklahoma-..._headline_news

[jn1780]

It didn't fit the "Vision". Everything else was just convient excuses. I wonder how long until they decide they don't want the space needle anymore and implode that?

[SOONER44EVER]

It didn't fit the "Vision". Everything else was just convient excuses. I wonder how long until they decide they don't want the space needle anymore and implode that?

I agree. The airplanes are gone. The monorail is gone. The western town is gone. The helicopter rides are gone. The race track is gone. But there is lots more buildings, parking, concessions for the horse people.

[rcjunkie]

The grandstand/ speedway had to go, why spend money to rehab a facility that was used app. 1/3 of the the year. Build something that will bring in much needed revenue.

[Laramie]

Having read articles of its upcomping dismantling--I was caught totally off guard when I was talking all of my old computer stuff to the recycling area Saturday morning.

The Great Grand Stands will be missed, last year I watched them tear down old "Moses Miller Stadium," the original Grand Stand (Douglass High School was built on the site of the original fairgrounds) which was our Douglass High School football stadium and it just seems like big chunks of Oklahoma City are being demolished and my memories (sad as it may seem) are being replaced.

Let's see what this grand entrance to Fair Park is going to look like when it is completed. ...To be continued...

[oneforone]

Last year the fair seemed like it was kind of slow and vendor were scarce compared to earlier years. Many of the vendors had booths in every buidling. I know the ShamWow and the Waterless Cookware presentations were going on in all three exhbit halls.

The wife and I decided last year that we are only going to go once this year if we go at all. Around this time last year, we bought four tickets at OnCue because we were going to walk the buildings one day and watch some of shows on the other day. The shows were the exact same thing they were last year. We walked through two of the buildings, grabbed a bite to eat and left. We came back on the second day thinking we would share a couple of our favorite fair treats and kill a few hours walking through all the buildings and maybe pickup a couple of odd ball things. Long story short we left two hours later because we had seen everything. If we hadn't stopped to watch Drunk Tank Karaoke at Obrien's, we would have left an hour earlier.

In the years prior to all the changes, I spent quite a bit of time waiting in line various places. Last year, most of the foods booths were no waiting or the line only took a few minutes. One of those days was on a Saturday afternoon with nice weather and both OU and OSU were on a bye week.

I am wondering how many regular Grand Stand customers will skip the fair entirely this year.

[progressiveboy]

I agree. The airplanes are gone. The monorail is gone. The western town is gone. The helicopter rides are gone. The race track is gone. But there is lots more buildings, parking, concessions for the horse people.

Out with the old, in with the new! Change can be a great thing! These buildings at the FG were not historical or had any redeeming value to them they were outdated and they were not aethestically pleasing to the eye. If OKC wants to truly become a big league city, then it will need to change with the times.

[Rover]

How is the state fair and fairgrounds leadership chosen?

[jn1780]

Out with the old, in with the new! Change can be a great thing! These buildings at the FG were not historical or had any redeeming value to them they were outdated and they were not aethestically pleasing to the eye. If OKC wants to truly become a big league city, then it will need to change with the times.

More horse barns = Big league City?

At some point they need to define the ultimate purpose of the State Fair Park and rename it to reflect that purpose.

Maybe the "Business Expo and Convention Park: Featuring Horses"

[Rover]

So what is the proper use of a fairgrounds for a city? What facilities should be provided by the city and what should be left to private enterprise?

[jn1780]

So what is the proper use of a fairgrounds for a city? What facilities should be provided by the city and what should be left to private enterprise?

The purpose can be whatever we make it, we just need to state that purpose clearly. Obviously, private enterprise isn't going to build convention space unless its a big casino or hotel.

I'm just saying that if they intend to turn it more into a business convention setting they need to change the name because their is a certain stigma attached to the word "fairground" that doesn't sound very "Big City" if that's what were trying to become.

[MWC59]

4 or 5 years back I saw on the news drawing for the updated fairgrounds a huge grand intrence and parkinglot was planed for that sit

[rcjunkie]

Horse shows bring in millons every year in out of State / City money, if they choose to call it Horse Show Park, that's OK with me.

[Rover]

So, the Dallas Fairgrounds isn't "big city".

I don't think the horse shows are out of the scope, nor do they dominate. They have however provided lots of funds for major improvements at the whole fairground site. Just because you don't happen to fancy them doesn't mean they aren't important or what the fair authority should be targeting. They actually pay for themselves and I don't think that is the case for everything that goes on at the fairgrounds.

BTW, if the city loses the dirt track racing that is fairly outdated and moves up to the Grand Prix level, I think that is a fair trade-off. Lemans series is a little higher profile than dirt track racing.

[Laramie]

The horse shows provide a lot of economic impact on our community.

I remember in February 1967, Oklahoma State Fair was proposing a 100,000-seat sports stadium (look at Oklahoman archives) which would have taken $5 -$7 million to build; now a stadium half that size would cost $50-$70 million without all the amenities.

I was told at the time that the State Fair was a money maker and all I've seen lately is MAPs financial incentives paying for construction, upkeep and building the much needed barns to keep Oklahoma City in-the-mix.

[jn1780]

The horse shows provide a lot of economic impact on our community.

I remember in February 1967, Oklahoma State Fair was proposing a 100,000-seat sports stadium (look at Oklahoman archives) which would have taken $5 -$7 million to build; now a stadium half that size would cost $50-$70 million without all the amenities.

I was told at the time that the State Fair was a money maker and all I've seen lately is MAPs financial incentives paying for construction, upkeep and building the much needed barns to keep Oklahoma City in-the-mix.

I have no problem with the horse economy, that is our niche after all. Rover mentioned the Texas Fair Park, well the the Texas Fair Park has a lot of unique exhibits and items. Oklahoma State Fair Park has been gradually removing all the unique exhibits and items. What should replace the State Fair Speedway that is unique and generates revenue? A convention center maybe? Except a convention center all the way to the west of downtown OKC does not really fit with the rest of Core to Shore. Maybe we need to expand on the horse economy, somehow? Maybe RcJunkie is on to something calling it a Horse Fair Park.

On a side note: My original comments are mostly in response to progressiveboys change is good comment. I agree, change can be good and that something needed to be done to the State Fair Grand Stand and I was just making an observation about the city making "convenient excuses." However, it would be nice to know what that change is going to eventually look like and if it gives OKC an edge over other cities.

[Rover]

Yes, the improvements did make us more competitive for the horse shows. I believe that was part of maps also, btw, so they did tell us what was going on and we approved, I believe.

Curious, what exhibits have been removed from the OKC fairground in the last few years?

[jn1780]

Yes, the improvements did make us more competitive for the horse shows. I believe that was part of maps also, btw, so they did tell us what was going on and we approved, I believe.

Horse Fair with business exhibit space and it is then. That clears it up for me.

Curious, what exhibits have been removed from the OKC fairground in the last few years?

Exhibit probably wasn't the right word, unique attractions maybe? We don't have that many left except for the space needle, but I suppose we don't really need that either.