State Fairgrounds

[stratosphere]

I went to the Bennett Event Center yesterday with my Mom and we thought the facility was fairly nice. I could tell it was new but had no idea that this was it's grand opening to the public.

I do agree with the comments about all of the grass parking, and that has always bothered me about the fair. Looking forward to the auto show.

[jn1780]

Were they utilizing the other buildings also for the home and garden show? People are use to going to those other buildings which were closer to those grass fields that they park in. Its also hard to break that habit when the free parking is in the fields during the State Fair.The fair would need to block off the north entrance to just horse trailers so that people come from May.

[stratosphere]

Were they utilizing the other buildings also for the home and garden show? People are use to going to those other buildings which were closer to those grass fields that they park in. Its also hard to break that habit when the free parking is in the fields during the State Fair.The fair would need to block off the north entrance to just horse trailers so that people come from May.

Supposedly they were using 3 different buildings for the H&G show, also there was a gun show going on somewhere so that may be why parking was so full.

[Pete]

The parking wasn't full.

The two massive lots nearest all the buildings were at most 1/4 full and there were still tons of people parking on the grass.

[stratosphere]

The parking wasn't full.

The two massive lots nearest all the buildings were at most 1/4 full and there were still tons of people parking on the grass.

I didn't drive through the entire parking lot(s) to see if they were full or not, so perhaps they weren't.

[shawnw]

You should go at night as well, the lighting effects are decent enough check out once.

[ljbab728]

I don't know what people were expecting about the new building, but it looks basically like I exactly expected.

[HangryHippo]

The parking wasn't full.

The two massive lots nearest all the buildings were at most 1/4 full and there were still tons of people parking on the grass.

I'm with you. I just do not understand the parking situation at the fairgrounds.

[Zuplar]

I'm with you. I just do not understand the parking situation at the fairgrounds.

Me too. Glad I'm not the only one.

[baralheia]

I visited the Home and Garden Show this weekend, partially to check out the new expo center as well. Honestly, aside from the lack of any sort of landscaping, any complaints I have about the building are minor - it's pretty much exactly what I expected we were getting. My only real complaints would be that there's no landscaping at all and the knockoff Dyson Airblade-style hand dryers in the bathrooms are nowhere near as good as the real thing. Also, the columns in the lobby are clad with what appears to be folded sheet steel, and the installation has the appearance of being very rushed and sloppy; the panels aren't even at all. But really, that's all pretty minor in the scale of things. The interior of the building was clean, well-lit, and comfortable, and the color changing lights behind the frosted glass up front look neat.

[Pete]

I saw there is a contract to put LED lighting on columns at the Bennett Center, so that may be why they looked unfinished.

Also, there will be permanent signs installed for the concession areas.

[baralheia]

That may very well be why, and that makes a lot of sense. Permanent signage for the concession areas would be cool too - and along that line, I'd love to see OnCue borrow QuickTrip's idea and have a temporary location inside the Event Center like QT has (had?) at Expo Square in Tulsa, or like the QT in the Sprint Center in KC. I've always thought having a mini convenience store on the premises of the Fairgrounds would make a killing during events there; of course, it'd have to only be operational during events there.

[HangryHippo]

That may very well be why, and that makes a lot of sense. Permanent signage for the concession areas would be cool too - and along that line, I'd love to see OnCue borrow QuickTrip's idea and have a temporary location inside the Event Center like QT has (had?) at Expo Square in Tulsa, or like the QT in the Sprint Center in KC. I've always thought having a mini convenience store on the premises of the Fairgrounds would make a killing during events there; of course, it'd have to only be operational during events there.

I love that idea!

[stratosphere]

One note about the concession areas, they all need more tables! Nearly everyone there gets a bite to eat and there was plenty of people sitting on the floor eating because of the lack of tables. That's my only gripe.

[macfoucin]

The arch has fallen.
http://www.news9.com/category/116601...lipId=13288396

[Pete]

Holy cow.

Lucky nobody was hurt.

[Trisha]

so sad to see that the Iconic Arch fell in the storms last nite!
Does anybody know the history of it?
I couldn't find anything on it in a basic search

[GoldFire]

I was there this morning because we had a booth at the now cancelled Super Bitcon in the Oklahoma expo hall. The whole fairgrounds and surrounding area is in pretty rough shape beyond just the arch. Lots of trees and power lines down, many blocking roads in and out of the area.

[rezman]

so sad to see that the Iconic Arch fell in the storms last nite!
Does anybody know the history of it?
I couldn't find anything on it in a basic search

It's been there since the mid 70's IIRC. There's one vintage fixture that the fair board won't have to worry about tearing down.

[mkjeeves]

so sad to see that the Iconic Arch fell in the storms last nite!
Does anybody know the history of it?
I couldn't find anything on it in a basic search

The last time was there looking at it up close was maybe 10 years ago. There was a bronze plaque near the base with some info. It had the name of the designer, which was a local architect IIRC. Vague recollection it might have been a guy who worked out of his house near Millwood School, Cowboy Hall of Fame area.

[Laramie]

Among the last iconic structures at State Fair Park has departed:

Monorail
Arrow to Atoms Space Tower
Grand Stand
The Arch
What next?

State Fair Park in OKC encompasses over 400 acres

What should we do or shouldn't do about possible replacements of some of the iconic structures to restore the luster of what was once the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds (State Fair Park) in Oklahoma City?

[_Kyle]

Among the last iconic structures at State Fair Park has departed:

Monorail
Arrow to Atoms Space Tower
Grand Stand
The Arch
What next?

State Fair Park in OKC encompasses over 400 acres

What should we do or shouldn't do about possible replacements of some of the iconic structures to restore the luster of what was once the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds (State Fair Park) in Oklahoma City?

Why the hell don't they repair these structures? The fairgrounds management need to step up and make some improvements.

[stratosphere]

Why the hell don't they repair these structures? The fairgrounds management need to step up and make some improvements.

well said

[d-usa]

Can horses use the arch? That seems to be the only determining factor if something needs attention.

[jn1780]

The fair board is probably disappointed the space needle didn't fall down also.