Wendy Campbell of the State Fair peeks into the foaling shed where Secretariat was born. The shed will be moved and restored as part of the new fair site. View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

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Fair's thrill will linger for county; CAROLINE >> New park expected to bring more tourists, revenue

The Meadow Event Park will open in time for 2009 State Fair but will continue to pay dividends for Caroline long after the fall event

By COREY BYERS

Date published: 8/19/2008

When The Meadow Event Park opens next September, it will bring thousands of people to Caroline County for the State Fair.

And after the fair's 11-day run, officials say it will offer an ongoing venue for businesses and a source of revenue for the county.

At an April groundbreaking for the first phase of the project, officials stressed that the goal of opening next year was very tentative. But State Fair of Virginia President Curry Roberts confirmed last week that the 2009 fair will be held at the new park.

State Fair Marketing Director Jay Lugar said the site along State Route 30 will offer more flexibility to host the fair and other year-round events since they own the property instead of renting it.

Gary Wilson Caroline's Director of Economic Development said he's happy to hear the park will open sooner rather than later. Wilson expects the park will fill up hotels and motels at times that are traditionally off-season for tourism. He also believes it will generate a revenue stream for Caroline at times when there normally isn't any.

"They have a full-year calendar, so it will be an advantage to us throughout the year," Wilson said yesterday. "It will also generate more meals, taxes and also bring more people to the community. That puts them in front of retailers."

He added that the fair itself will be a cultural experience that the county doesn't offer now.

This year's State Fair, the last at the Richmond Raceway Complex, runs Sept. 25 to Oct. 5.

Roberts said the fair doesn't plan to advertise the new site right away, but it will start noting the Caroline location in its literature and on its Web site after this year's event.

Fair officials have been in talks with the Virginia Department of Transportation and Kings Dominion about potential signs, he said.

Wilson said his office has announced the fair's impending arrival in a county tourism brochure. He expects a new county visitors center to open by the end of this year, which will dovetail nicely with next year's big event.

State Fair of Virginia President Curry Roberts and Marketing Director Jay Lugar said the following structures are expected to be complete by Sept. 1, 2009. They are part of the first phase of construction at a cost of $81 million: Americraft Pavillion: The 10,000-square-foot facility will house horticulture exhibits and crops. This is a change from the Raceway Complex because it will stand alone rather than be part of a larger facility. Union Bank & Trust Hall: The 13,000-square-foot mansion at the center of the property will undergo renovations to bring it up to code. It will be available for private rentals such as meetings, weddings and corporate retreats. Farm Bureau Center: The 75,000-square-foot exhibition hall can be divided into two separate spaces. It will host commercial vendors during the fair and trade and consumer shows the rest of the year. Equine Complex: Four rings will host horse shows, competitions, rodeos and practice rides. The Southern States Legends stable will have 143 stalls. Lugar said there's a big demand for facilities in this part of the state and the complex could be used for horse shows March through November. --Corey Byers

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Date published: 8/19/2008