Fair Park

DPatel304
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Fair Park

Postby DPatel304 » 24 Oct 2016 16:11

Corny dogs and Ferris wheel rides made this year’s State Fair of Texas the most successful in its 130-year history, event officials said.

As of 9:30 p.m. Sunday, about an hour and a half before the annual event closed for the year, the fair had drawn more than 2.4 million guests who spent over $56 million in gross coupon sales for food, beverages and rides.
The State Fair of Texas brought in roughly $56 million in food and ride sales before closing Sunday.

The State Fair of Texas brought in roughly $56 million in food and ride sales before

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/ ... texas.html

No doubt this event is a success, but, I think the general consensus is that the State Fair really hinders the ability of Fair Park to become a year-round destination, which, as a result, also hurts the surrounding neighborhood.

Now that we know what kind of revenue the fair generates, is it easier to determine whether or not the State Fair should stay in Fair Park? Obviously this is completely hypothetical, since it is out of our hands, but it's fun to think about.

I'd like to see the Fair Park become a free event, just so we can get rid of the fences and borders that surround Fair Park. Open up the park, make the event free, and expand it beyond just the Fair Park area. I read somewhere that Exposition Park business really hurt during State Fair time, well, I think it would be nice if surrounding businesses (Exposition Park & Deep Ellum) were included as a part of the Fair.

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The_Overdog
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Re: Fair Park

Postby The_Overdog » 25 Oct 2016 09:54

Now that we know what kind of revenue the fair generates, is it easier to determine whether or not the State Fair should stay in Fair Park?


No not really, because they have stated in the past they don't actually count(or don't share those counts) guests coming into the door, so the 2.4m is either an estimation or totally made up - or they just started counting this year. And you need expenses to compare vs revenue to say if the Fair is a positive contributor to the Fair Park economy or a negative.

I believe (been a while so I could be wrong) a consulting study by Baylor U said that actually more like 1 - 1.5m people go to the Fair and that its net contribution is more like a sporting event - ie: drives plenty of income away while it's in progress.

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tamtagon
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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 27 Oct 2016 08:22

The Fair itself is a fantastic event, it's the managers and stewards of SFOT, Inc that contributes to the withered use of the Park.

The lack of 'Park Authority,' sovereign programming and scheduling entity may be the biggest problem.

Every season should have a major, annual event; the absence of a Vernal Fair of equal scope and scale to the Autumnal Fair is ridiculous --- The place was built to handle it, clearly atrophy is the result.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby gshelton91 » 28 Oct 2016 14:13

I don't think the State Fair has been as big an issue to use of Fair Park as the Park Department leads us to believe. The reality is there is NO programing at Fair Park on a regular basis -- hence no reason for anyone to go. The State Fair seems to me is a scapegoat for the park department not creating any programing.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby The_Overdog » 28 Oct 2016 17:05

The reality is there is NO programing at Fair Park on a regular basis -- hence no reason for anyone to go. The State Fair seems to me is a scapegoat for the park department not creating any programing.


Beyond that, I've not seen anything saying that State Fair has contractual requirements for parking or that determine land use, whereby none of the parking lots in Fair Park could be eliminated (or shrunk), with the parks department turning that into parkland, on the park department's own dollar and at their own priority.

Maybe they do.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 16 Nov 2016 08:42

I thought I saw something in the DMN about the State Fair of Texas folks getting in hot water for covering up how they were spending money, but a quick search brought this blog entry from a website I don't know alot about: watchdog.org,

http://watchdog.org/281877/state-fair-sanctions/

but it does mirror the memory of whatever actual news piece I scanned about the court diversions, excessive salaries.... there was also something else about SFoT failing to meet contractual obligations to Fair Park maintenance.

There is something so fishy about the mayor's initiative to get Fair Park managed by an outside, non-profit agent too. The Observer and DMN have been all over the mess with a program from Walt Humann, and repeated attempts to keep the city's park board out of the decision making process.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby gshelton91 » 18 Nov 2016 15:16

I can't quite figure out how this non-profit will make money -- i don't see the same logical connection that exist with the Zoo. But, If the City will at least tie the money it gives to the non-profit to how many people visit the park then i think we will at least be in a better spot then we are now.

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rantanamo
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Re: Fair Park

Postby rantanamo » 19 Nov 2016 01:16

tamtagon wrote:I thought I saw something in the DMN about the State Fair of Texas folks getting in hot water for covering up how they were spending money, but a quick search brought this blog entry from a website I don't know alot about: watchdog.org,

http://watchdog.org/281877/state-fair-sanctions/

but it does mirror the memory of whatever actual news piece I scanned about the court diversions, excessive salaries.... there was also something else about SFoT failing to meet contractual obligations to Fair Park maintenance.

There is something so fishy about the mayor's initiative to get Fair Park managed by an outside, non-profit agent too. The Observer and DMN have been all over the mess with a program from Walt Humann, and repeated attempts to keep the city's park board out of the decision making process.


say what?

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tamtagon
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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 22 Nov 2016 12:23

Fair Park Victory Park.jpg
So, this is a story about a television show WFAA will not be able to produce. It's a big party for TV and the station couldn't figure it out.

What WFAA and apparently the rest of the city couldn't figure out is the obvious: Fair Park was built specifically to stage these sort of events.

http://www.guidelive.com/holidays/2016/ ... 1478179461
"We just haven't found a suitable location for the event to relocate,"

"Without all that infrastructure in place, you have to accommodate with more restrooms, more food, more beverage, all those things," he says.

Another biggie: security. And, in fact, that's one of the reasons American Airlines Center opted not to continue to host Big D NYE. In 2014, about 42,000 people attended.
Aside from logistics, Glass says, Big D NYE's move must be to a long-term home because it will need to be wired to produce WFAA's coverage of the event."We're not just putting on an event, more importantly we're putting on a television show," Glass says. "That makes it more complicated."


The Esplanade is probably the best outdoor party venue in North Texas. If no one at WFAA, Parks Board, City Council can see the obvious, then it's not just the municipality that's on the verge of bankruptcy....

Put a park in Fair Park, absolutely!!!! but first and foremost, Fair Park was built to host large scale get-togethers, like a three week state fair, or a New Years Eve party and television show.

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gshelton91
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Re: Fair Park

Postby gshelton91 » 23 Nov 2016 12:35

Yes, i would have to agree -- Fair Park seems like the obvious choice. Another good option would be in front of City Hall the Plaza and the Convention center -- all walking distance to many hotels.

They must have considered Fair Park - how could you not - I wonder what the reason was for not using it as a venue.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby cowboyeagle05 » 25 Nov 2016 08:42

A couple of reasons I'm sure for them I'm sure. Keep mind the set around the event is important and Fair Park while containing some beautiful architecture in some cases with tons of history isn't the same as the skyline setting that Big D NYE desires. WFAA wants to sell this event as a pseudo-NYC equivalent and Fair Park for that comparison isn't the same. They want a very urban feel and Fair Park is a park feel by comparison.
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Re: Fair Park

Postby Dmkflyer » 25 Nov 2016 14:08

cowboyeagle05 wrote:A couple of reasons I'm sure for them I'm sure. Keep mind the set around the event is important and Fair Park while containing some beautiful architecture in some cases with tons of history isn't the same as the skyline setting that Big D NYE desires. WFAA wants to sell this event as a pseudo-NYC equivalent and Fair Park for that comparison isn't the same. They want a very urban feel and Fair Park is a park feel by comparison.


Then why does the article quote him looking in Arlington and Irving among others?

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Re: Fair Park

Postby cowboyeagle05 » 25 Nov 2016 14:41

Dmkflyer wrote:
cowboyeagle05 wrote:A couple of reasons I'm sure for them I'm sure. Keep mind the set around the event is important and Fair Park while containing some beautiful architecture in some cases with tons of history isn't the same as the skyline setting that Big D NYE desires. WFAA wants to sell this event as a pseudo-NYC equivalent and Fair Park for that comparison isn't the same. They want a very urban feel and Fair Park is a park feel by comparison.


Then why does the article quote him looking in Arlington and Irving among others?


Access, those two places have better access for parking and setting up stages etc. The problem is they are both just boring in comparison to a Downtown Dallas city urban backdrop so it's a trade-off. Fair Park has moderate access but it's in a perceived unsafe neighborhood that many suburbanites already disdain. I also think that WFAA doesn't want to build their event around the historic element. At least with Irving and Arlington, you would still be able to project a modern element with the stadium and or the Las Colinas city-lite backdrops. Fair Park for an event like this can be seen as been done, got the t-shirt.

I also wonder if the setup would be like with the State Fair trying to take their stuff down. The State Fair already has three months booked so they can setup and take down and I bet they don't want to be rushed.
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Re: Fair Park

Postby Tnexster » 16 Jan 2017 10:28

Fair Park could become a vibrant part of the city, but how do we pay for it?

http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comme ... t-city-pay

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 12 Feb 2017 10:13

rantanamo wrote:
tamtagon wrote:I thought I saw something in the DMN about the State Fair of Texas folks getting in hot water for covering up how they were spending money ... about the court diversions, excessive salaries.... there was also something else about SFoT failing to meet contractual obligations to Fair Park maintenance.


say what?


This article starts out about what will happen with excess revenue from the 2016 state fair, then gingerly dances around more than a decade of SFoT negligent management; a light review of recent meetings and open bids to turnover management of Fair Park from the city to an outside entity.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/fair-par ... -fair-park

State Fair of Texas, amid scrutiny, to give Dallas $6 million for improvements at Fair Park

Written by Tristan Hallman, Dallas City Hall Reporter

The State Fair of Texas wants Dallas to know it's making good on its promises to turn excess revenue back over to the city.... a minimum of $6 million to fix up Fair Park.

The funds, which the State Fair is contractually obligated to use on such improvements, are an increase over last year's total ... The State Fair has long been Fair Park's primary tenant and has a contract with the city through at least 2028 ... State Fair President Mitchell Glieber, who became president in 2014, doesn't criticize his predecessors in State Fair leadership. But he does often say the State Fair has things it "can do better." to make the park a year-round attraction....

And State Fair officials worked with former Hunt Oil CEO Walt Humann's bid to start a nonprofit that would manage the park year-round ... But after months of work on a plan, the city reversed course and opened a bidding process ... [many] believed Humann's group was little more than a Trojan horse for the State Fair to take control of Fair Park....

...State Fair's buildings, which are mostly designed as exhibition spaces that accommodate the fair's festivities ... deferred maintenance piling up for years, and the city hasn't put much money in to fix them up. But that is where the State Fair was supposed to come in. For years, the State Fair put much of its excess revenue into Fair Park projects that helped the fair and not necessarily the park....

But about $6 million extra, which was intended as a management fee for Humann's group, will now help fill some of that gap ... State Fair spokeswoman Karissa Condoianis wants the city and its residents to see the fair as a partner, not an adversary. "We can't change the past," she said. "The fair is under new leadership. The strides Mitchell has taken are incredible. ... It's a different future with him."


It's kinda like that long painful process of losing the Locomotive Museum. The museum had not been paying rent or utility bills for years, and the city forgot to keep track of any of that sort of details around it... tried to sue the museum people, someone got fired, the museum moved to Frisco without having to pay Dallas Fair Park anything adding to the unused space.

A complete mess and a new millennial crony-capitalists fight over money that slowly ruins it for everyone.

One "improvement" the SFoT got over the years was money toward a new greenhouse. This saved money over time, by sheltering the exotic potted plants put out during the Fair and provided a place to grow most of the annuals used only during the Fair. SFoT had to get approval for the greenhouse to not be in the art deco style of the park and for the greenhouse to not be open to the public.... so, instead of adding to the existing greenhouses at Fair Park enhancing the experience through architecture and public visitation, the greenhouse was tucked out-of-sight, limited as a single purpose facility. Terrible decision.

Take a different view, what greenhouses and gardens are at Fair Park are popular, and during most of the year the opportunity to display potted flowers and such just comes and goes without any attempt to help make the place interesting or pretty. Instead, this greenhouse should have been built in the grand art deco style of Fair Park making the architecture a center stage of a working greenhouse designed around public visitation. whatever -- the stupidity of such self serving decision making still makes me mad!

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Re: Fair Park

Postby exelone31 » 10 Apr 2017 09:25

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/04/06/ever-get-feeling-just-scared-handing-fair-park

And on top of that, the bare-bones staff at Fair Park is in the middle of planning several not-yet-announced events, among them nine weeks' worth of Tuesday night concerts, starting next month, in a band shell currently being given a much-needed face-lift. That's the same band shell that Ann-Margret made famous in 1962; the same band shell where R.E.M. and Elvis Costello and the Ramones and Stevie Ray Vaughan performed; the same band shell that I've insisted is going to waste.


I don't recall seeing this anywhere before, but WOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!! I really hope the bandshell is able to become a sustaining venue. I don't think this would happen, but I feel like Leon Bridges would be an amazing artist to have play it. Hugely popular, very classic tunes.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 10 Apr 2017 11:15

I've always considered losing the Cowboys the biggest defeat in recent times, second biggest defeat being the debilitating fortress management co-operative from City & SFoT.... but thinking about it now, who knows what would have happened if the Dont Tread on Me SToF managers clashed with The Fair Park Dallas Cowboys Stadium signature draw. Could have been much worse. Probably not, though. OMG I cannot believe I'm still pissed about that hahaha

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Re: Fair Park

Postby Tnexster » 11 Apr 2017 14:12

I have always been very neutral on that Cowboys downtown issue, I was afraid we would end up with a giant stadium on the south side of downtown surrounded by parking lots. That is exactly what Arlington got. For me the biggest defeat was the loss of Boeing to Chicago, I always hated that one even though it was not a huge number of people. The flip side of that is I truly believe that single loss was the spark that turned the city to look internally and try to right those things that drove Boeing the other way. Although I really don't intend to derail the topic.

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tamtagon
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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 03 Aug 2017 08:55

http://www.centraltrack.com/what-ever-h ... fair-park/

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE SCIENCE PLACE AT FAIR PARK?
OBED MANUEL
AUGUST 2, 2017

“We’ve had some interest in the building and National geographic has contacted us about using it,” Hirsch says. “We see a potential full time exhibition space, but until we get it up to speed, it’s kind of a blank palate.”

Hirsh says she can’t stress enough how much any future plans for the Science Place depend on how much the renovation process will cost. It could be a small enough cost that it could come out of the Parks & Recreation budget, or it could require as much as a bond proposal.


Let's just see how long The State Fair of Texas is able to maintain the strangle hold on Fair Park. New leadership, the "revelation" that SFoT has been failing to pay what it owes, and a slow by broad retreat of debilitating old world prejudices and good ole boy bosses will finally allow Fair Park to be the destination it should.

In no way whatsoever do I think the fair should leave the park, the fair simply needs operational service that focuses on the community and neighborhood rather than the decision makers. Go God! Those cronies siphoned millions of dollars over the decades and just got away with it because, well, they meant well -- it's just the only meant well toward a particular segment of the population, a tight clan.

Anyway, rather than trying to keep the State Fair sealed off as an all inclusive behind-the-gate extravaganza, the adjacent and surrounding areas should feed into and off of ALL the events inside the park. It's just like the stupid ignorant approach to the summer time amusement park.

Paying a fee to gain access to gated collection of rides was the absolute dumbest approach. How self important were those decision makers to think that would have worked. Fair Park should have a dozen or more amusement park rides in operation year-round, and park visitors pay to ride whichever one(s) they chose. Please, that's a basic as it gets.

The October State Fair should have a Springtime equivalent, too. Fair Park is a destination that could easily support thousands of adjacent hotel rooms, novelty shops, restaurants & bars....

Anyway, Science Place.... that'd be nice to get that one back on line.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby The_Overdog » 03 Aug 2017 18:22

They could turn the Fair Park museum back into a legitimate children's museum - the ones in Chicago, LA, and Ft Worth have rooms with cotton balls imitating snow, blocks for building, and cheap playsets along with pvc water playsets (bakery, police, shops) for science for kids so it wouldn't even have to be expensive to start up.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby Matt777 » 03 Aug 2017 22:59

I have a dumb question. Is Fair Park open to walk through for free outside of the State Fair period? Is it open at night, or have a closing time? Is the Hall of State interior accessible to the public? The park website really doesn't give any of this info, and neither does the City of Dallas park website. The website is not very visitor friendly.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby The_Overdog » 04 Aug 2017 09:01

Yes it is open (not sure about all the buildings but the grounds are) most of the time. I think on weekends you can rent a swan to ride at the lagoon, and the Childrens' Aquarium (small but very nice) is open like 8-5pm everyday. Weddings and whatnot are photographed there fairly regularly as well. It's not great as a park so it's very desolate when there is not an event going on. The grass area is more like 'landscaping' around suburban office buildings than space to kick a ball, the tree cover for shade while walking is not great, the fountains dirty (and offlimits to putting your feet in), the layout is really confusing if you don't go there often, and the Cottonbowl jammed in the middle means you have to walk around a giant stadium to get from side to side. The whole place really gives off a vibe of a decaying ruin.

The majority of the people you see there are security and groundsworkers, not visitors or park-goers.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby lakewoodhobo » 04 Aug 2017 09:25

Matt777 wrote:I have a dumb question. Is Fair Park open to walk through for free outside of the State Fair period? Is it open at night, or have a closing time? Is the Hall of State interior accessible to the public? The park website really doesn't give any of this info, and neither does the City of Dallas park website. The website is not very visitor friendly.


I can guarantee you that most people don't know the answer to your question which is why Fair Park is empty most of the year. Combine that with the fact that Dallas has a very event-driven culture that doesn't venture out unless prompted and Fair Park being surrounded by parking and fences. It's no wonder people assume it's closed outside the SFOT.

I appreciate you asking.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 04 Aug 2017 10:21

When my gang ran around Dallas, one appealing aspect of Fair Park was feeling like we had the place to ourselves, when we would spend an afternoon there. Such a weird sensation, to be in a big place like that, with all the stuff, and hardly anyone there. We loved it and had so much fun....

People were scared to go there, and it sounds like little has changed in 20 years. Get the Sante Fe Trail all the way into Fair Park. Get a Downtown-Deep Ellum train into Fair Park. Build a gym in The Cotton Bowl. People will use it.

Publicizing the every day niceness of Fair Park would inexpensive and effective, the place sells itself to those who could appreciate it. The majority of folks, those understandably wary by just the idea of a non-event visit to the park (venturing far far outside a protective bubble of suburban homogenization), they are not really necessary to populating the place with regular users from the greater downtown area. South Dallas neighborhoods between CBD and Fair Park are best located to host a potpourri of niche retail.

The State Fair should be the annual bump that puts a nice profit into surrounding businesses, opposite of the current three weeks of poor sales.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby DPatel304 » 04 Aug 2017 11:36

tamtagon wrote:When my gang ran around Dallas, one appealing aspect of Fair Park was feeling like we had the place to ourselves, when we would spend an afternoon there. Such a weird sensation, to be in a big place like that, with all the stuff, and hardly anyone there. We loved it and had so much fun....


I want to visit just to experience this. Hopefully, there will be a time where Fair Park is bustling with activity. I know, if that ever happens, it'll be decades from now, but it'll be cool to look back and be able to experience it before it really took off. That's how I feel about Deep Ellum before the last year or so. It wasn't all that long ago when the streets weren't that busy.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 17 Oct 2017 08:49

Peter Simek is getting closer to the root!

https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2 ... -of-texas/

We Need to Ask More 15-Year-Olds About What to Do With the State Fair of Texas

A State Fair survey spooks attendees about a move from Fair Park, inspiring one fair goer with a better idea: a traveling State Fair.

BY PETER SIMEK PUBLISHED IN FRONTBURNER OCTOBER 16, 2017

...Jocelyn Hodges, age 15, who, when asked about the State Fair and Fair Park, makes a simple, ingenious suggestion. “It would be kind of cool if it moved around to different cities every year.”

...How fun would it be to attend a State Fair of Texas on the Gulf Coast? Imagine the food at a state fair in the Rio Grande Valley. Think about the music at a state fair in the Hill Country.

Texas’ greatest quality is its rich cultural and geographical diversity and its vivacious embracing of individual freedom. Its most irritating quality is its pigeon-brained, self-serving cultural, political, and economic petulance, a parochial protectionsim which it fraudulently tries to pass off as individualism and independence.


The first problem with The State Fair of Texas is opening and closing the site. The second problem, revealed by Jocelyn Hodges, is monotony.

Fair Park was built first and foremost to host large scale exhibitions, but the SToF is allowed to essentially shut down the park while the fair gets ready to open and then close. The transition of the events at Fair Park should be smooth and seamless rather than on/off. The issue is not that The State Fair dominates the park during October, the issue is that there is not equivalent use of the park in April, January and July. Fair Park should experience regularly scheduled lull weeks through out the year for maintenance, opposite of the current regularly scheduled fully booked weeks.

The problem for businesses around Fair Park should not be the October interruption, the problem is that Fair Park is underused 9 months of the year.

I'm not against moving the official State Fair of Texas to different part of the state.... but I would resist the idea until convinced it could be pulled off. In the meantime, we see the second problem allowed to manifest: stagnant content. The livestock show is a ridiculous remnant of what used to be a mainstay of the Fair, the display of agricultural bounty is on scale for Delaware not Texas. The car show(?) is just stupid. Four weekends of football occur during the State Fair, but only one important game. OU plays a game, but not Texas A&M? Are you kidding me?

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Re: Fair Park

Postby muncien » 17 Oct 2017 08:59

^^^^
Totally... Year-round. Create seasonal themes that change the look and feel and rotate exhibits during each 'intermission'. Remove the zombie protection barricades and make entry free of charge (lord knows we spend enough on everything else there).
I really don't understand why we continually screw up this awesome asset.
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Re: Fair Park

Postby scott2 » 27 Oct 2017 10:56

Has anyone considered moving the Farmers Market to Fair Park ? It's grown smaller and the area around it filling with high end residential. Eventually the land will be too expensive for the Market and it would give Fair Park year round activity.....on the DART line as well.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby electricron » 28 Oct 2017 12:34

scott2 wrote:Has anyone considered moving the Farmers Market to Fair Park ? It's grown smaller and the area around it filling with high end residential. Eventually the land will be too expensive for the Market and it would give Fair Park year round activity.....on the DART line as well.

Great idea! They will be able to display vegetables alongside livestock at the State Fair! Celebrate all of the agricultural talents of Texas.....

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 01 Nov 2017 09:48

This right here, this show the complete failure of purpose afflicting State Fair of Texas decision makers.

When a big deal event like Diwali falls on the calendar during the State Fair run, the opportunity is building a couple days of "Fair" around the unique event --- A Festival of Lights! Come On!

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/31/dini ... -food.html

Like the state fair, the annual event — known officially as the DFW Diwali Mela (for Dallas-Fort Worth) — is built around food and mounted on a scale worthy of Texas. Held in and around the Cotton Bowl, it is among the largest and grandest Diwali celebrations in the United States.
...What brings them here is the sheer scope and Technicolor splash of the spectacle: Bollywood singers are flown in from India. A cast of 150 volunteers stages a production of the Ramlila (a re-enactment of the Ramayana, the Hindu epic).
...One of its central components — and the backdrop to every other activity at the mela — is the dizzying array of foods, with special care taken to make sure that every region’s Diwali-specific treats are represented. This multicultural spirit is what sets the Dallas mela apart from those in other cities.

Rigid and self-serving, SFoT leaders have lost their way.

Infusing the State Fair with South Asian spices would be fantastic, and it's the essence of a fair.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 01 Nov 2017 10:44

Furthermore....

http://dfwdiwalimela.com/index.php

Diwali celebrations generally last for five days, beginning on the 14th day of the dark half of the Hindu calendar month of Asvina. (Every Hindu month is divided into a light half, when the moon waxes, and a dark half, when it wanes.) By the Gregorian calendar, Diwali falls in October or November.


Similar to Easter in schedule and meaning, this celebration (symbolizing the victory of good over evil) can extend the Fair or be a late flourishing finale. Such a powerful event and exercising tool for SFoT managers to present year round activities.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 01 Nov 2017 12:29

Of course, the biggest celebration event finale would come with the Spring Fair, Cinco de Mayo.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 03 Nov 2017 08:25

Several years ago, The SFoT operators got approval to build a new greenhouse at Fair Park, utilitarian in purpose only not for the public, so money could be saved on all the potted and tender plants used to decorate the park during the run of the State Fair. Not such a bad idea, keep the plants in good condition all year, put them on display during an event... except the sparkle of a good idea was caged by dedication to the October event only, and did not acknowledge one of the primary reasons State Fairs exist in the first place -- people take care of plants, eat plants, people like to learn about plants, look at plants, people share plants as a hobby and as food and people put their plants in a competition in the fall to see who tends the best -- but the SFoT operators failed with the new greenhouse.

Turn Fair Park into a working garden and nursery, expand the existing pretty greenhouses front and center with the appropriate park architecture and visitation. I was reminded of my point-in-time outrage over such a stupid nonperformance on the part of SFoT decision makers by this paragraph in an article about a new pavillion at the Arboretum:

https://www.dallasnews.com/arts/archite ... -tops-list

What's the most beautiful place in Dallas? The Arboretum's new pavilion tops the list
by Mark Lamster, Architecture Critic

...At their heart are a quadrant of "potager" (from the French, so pronounced pot-a-zhay) working gardens, planted with seasonally changing fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers that present the great bounty afforded by the Texas landscape. The objective is educational: to instruct Dallasites about nutrition and healthy eating, and advocate for a garden-to-table cuisine that is environmentally and economically sensitive.


Garden-to-table agriculture is a tenet of The State Fair. Perhaps DISD students could learn how to grow and prepare vegetables, putting on a show in Fair Park gardens all year long.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 25 Jan 2018 07:47

https://www.dallasnews.com/life/curious ... fair-texas

Jorge Esteban of Dallas asks Curious Texas:

The State Fair of Texas has a hidden collection of memorabilia from the 1936 Centennial Exposition that was supposed to be featured in a permanent exhibit. What happened to this collection and why has the State Fair organization refused to display it?

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Re: Fair Park

Postby exelone31 » 25 Jan 2018 12:31

tamtagon wrote:https://www.dallasnews.com/life/curious-texas/2018/01/24/curious-texas-hiding-archives-state-fair-texas

Jorge Esteban of Dallas asks Curious Texas:

The State Fair of Texas has a hidden collection of memorabilia from the 1936 Centennial Exposition that was supposed to be featured in a permanent exhibit. What happened to this collection and why has the State Fair organization refused to display it?


That's an awesome article! I'd love to go visit the archives, or see it in a formal display at the Fair. Fair Park is one of my favorite things about Dallas. It's so cool that many of the buildings built for the 1936 Centennial are still there and kind of frozen in time.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby lakewoodhobo » 26 Jan 2018 16:50

exelone31 wrote:That's an awesome article! I'd love to go visit the archives, or see it in a formal display at the Fair. Fair Park is one of my favorite things about Dallas. It's so cool that many of the buildings built for the 1936 Centennial are still there and kind of frozen in time.


Originally the Top of Texas Tower was supposed to be part of a visitors center with the Centennial exhibit permanently displayed. The tower was built as an amusement ride and the collection was left there gathering dust. No idea why they can't display it at the Women's Building or somewhere else.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 17 Mar 2018 08:44

Nostalgia is great, institutional to any State Fair, a celebration rich in remembering, sharing and teaching. But a State Fair is supposed to celebrate the future, too. Here is an example of what should cornerstone to the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, but is currently part of what has become SXSW.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2018/03/16/mex-tech-showcase-sxsw-turns-attention-countrys-rising-startup-scene

Mex-tech showcase at SXSW turns attention to country's rising startup scene
James Barragán

...These companies and 11 others were part of Mexico’s trade show at the annual South by Southwest Festival in Austin this week, all with the same goal: showing the U.S. that Mexico is a budding innovation and technology hub.


Considering how important and huge Technology and Innovation industries have become in Texas, the scoring and programming of SFoT events should be heavily weighted by Tech exhibits.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby dfwcre8tive » 20 Jul 2018 12:36

Take a ride on the Swiss Sky Ride during the 1960s.

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/HtlxsTwfbWo

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Re: Fair Park

Postby lakewoodhobo » 30 Jul 2018 16:25

Spectra has won the management bid for Fair Park. Here is a link to the briefing being presented to Park Board this Thursday and next steps.

https://www.scribd.com/document/3848534 ... t-Briefing

-August 9, 2018 – Special Called Meeting of the Park Board at Hall of State 5:30pm –8:30pm

-August 16, 2018 – Park Board consideration of Management Contract

-August/September 2018 – City Council Briefing and consideration

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 30 Jul 2018 18:21

Cronies lose another one, thank goodness.

Now maybe we can get a Springtime Exposition on the same scale as Autumnal State Fair. Some big time soccer games, Earth Day, Dallas Film Festival, Farm Aid Concert featuring Willie Nelson (please), Cinco de Mayo....

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Re: Fair Park

Postby Tivo_Kenevil » 31 Jul 2018 05:14

Was Spectra the national bidder?

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Re: Fair Park

Postby exelone31 » 31 Jul 2018 08:34

tamtagon wrote:Cronies lose another one, thank goodness.

Now maybe we can get a Springtime Exposition on the same scale as Autumnal State Fair. Some big time soccer games, Earth Day, Dallas Film Festival, Farm Aid Concert featuring Willie Nelson (please), Cinco de Mayo....


I didn't realize this, but I think the Cotton Bowl hosted a Club America vs Santos Laguna (I think that was it) pre-season match toward the end of June. I follow Fair Park on Twitter and saw ZERO promotion of the game! I only found out when they retweeted someone commenting on how good the crowd was. That said, the promotional focus may have been more on Spanish-language media, which is probably the right aim for a Liga MX match.

I would also love to see Spectra turn the Band Shell into a more prominent venue. I know there was a push with some free concerts recently, but I feel like that's a really underutilized spot in a park that's full of underutilized things.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby cowboyeagle05 » 31 Jul 2018 09:26

Fair Park promo lately has been very limited cause the city kept cutting the budget for the park so it was up to events themselves to promote and market themselves. When events book a venue no matter what type of venue it is they expect the hosting venue to spend some time, effort and money on promotion. The city in an effort to limit the amount of bleeding they have been doing on Fair Park cut where they could and marketing staff compared with staff that mows the grass is usually the picked position to lose.
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Re: Fair Park

Postby Redblock » 31 Jul 2018 22:18

exelone31 wrote:
tamtagon wrote:Cronies lose another one, thank goodness.

Now maybe we can get a Springtime Exposition on the same scale as Autumnal State Fair. Some big time soccer games, Earth Day, Dallas Film Festival, Farm Aid Concert featuring Willie Nelson (please), Cinco de Mayo....


I didn't realize this, but I think the Cotton Bowl hosted a Club America vs Santos Laguna (I think that was it) pre-season match toward the end of June. I follow Fair Park on Twitter and saw ZERO promotion of the game! I only found out when they retweeted someone commenting on how good the crowd was. That said, the promotional focus may have been more on Spanish-language media, which is probably the right aim for a Liga MX match.

I would also love to see Spectra turn the Band Shell into a more prominent venue. I know there was a push with some free concerts recently, but I feel like that's a really underutilized spot in a park that's full of underutilized things.



Back in '94(?) the Cotton Bowl hosted 1 or 2 of the preliminary matches when the US hosted the World Cup. Now Dallas is on the list of 23 cities which could host games for the 2026 World Cup.

Hopefully before then Fair Park will be Gem we all want it to be.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby Tucy » 01 Aug 2018 06:12

Redblock wrote:
exelone31 wrote:
tamtagon wrote:Cronies lose another one, thank goodness.

Now maybe we can get a Springtime Exposition on the same scale as Autumnal State Fair. Some big time soccer games, Earth Day, Dallas Film Festival, Farm Aid Concert featuring Willie Nelson (please), Cinco de Mayo....


I didn't realize this, but I think the Cotton Bowl hosted a Club America vs Santos Laguna (I think that was it) pre-season match toward the end of June. I follow Fair Park on Twitter and saw ZERO promotion of the game! I only found out when they retweeted someone commenting on how good the crowd was. That said, the promotional focus may have been more on Spanish-language media, which is probably the right aim for a Liga MX match.

I would also love to see Spectra turn the Band Shell into a more prominent venue. I know there was a push with some free concerts recently, but I feel like that's a really underutilized spot in a park that's full of underutilized things.



Back in '94(?) the Cotton Bowl hosted 1 or 2 of the preliminary matches when the US hosted the World Cup. Now Dallas is on the list of 23 cities which could host games for the 2026 World Cup.

Hopefully before then Fair Park will be Gem we all want it to be.


It doesn't seem like the Cotton Bowl is even in the World Cup conversation. Everything I see about "Dallas" as a potential site is all about JerryWorld.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby Tnexster » 01 Aug 2018 08:43

The cotton bowl was built in 1930 and seems like it is always playing catch up but never quite getting there. Based on the venues I have seen for World Cup events past, present and future the Cotton Bowl is not going to make the cut. In 2026 the Cotton Bowl will be 96 years old and Jerryworld will be 17 years old. The question is, will Jerryworld be a viable option in 2026?

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Re: Fair Park

Postby exelone31 » 01 Aug 2018 09:25

Tnexster wrote:The cotton bowl was built in 1930 and seems like it is always playing catch up but never quite getting there. Based on the venues I have seen for World Cup events past, present and future the Cotton Bowl is not going to make the cut. In 2026 the Cotton Bowl will be 96 years old and Jerryworld will be 17 years old. The question is, will Jerryworld be a viable option in 2026?


I think Jerryworld will absolutely be the main and only option considered for the 2026 World Cup. If I were to guess, I'd even say that The Star will make a play to host media/fan fest/etc activities too. I know Dallas was one of the possible cities considered alongside NY/LA/Chicago.

Although, I've got to say, Atlanta has really launched themselves to the forefront of just about anything soccer related with their insanely popular MLS team and shiny new stadium. Not to mention a heavily-trafficked international airport.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby DPatel304 » 01 Aug 2018 09:37

There is no doubt in my mind that Jerryworld will still be a very viable option in 2026. There will be a total of 80 games played during the world cup, so, while Jerryworld might be a bit dated in 8 years time, there is no way they will find a way to play 80 games and not include it.

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Re: Fair Park

Postby tamtagon » 01 Aug 2018 09:39

...still pissed LaMiller turned The Cowboys away from Fair Park.

...and my favorite save the Cotton Bowl what-if puts a Liga MX club in Fair Park.
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Re: Fair Park

Postby exelone31 » 01 Aug 2018 11:38

tamtagon wrote:...still pissed LaMiller turned The Cowboys away from Fair Park.

...and my favorite save the Cotton Bowl what-if puts a Liga MX club in Fair Park.


That would be AWESOME