City spends $400,000 on study to move fair from downtown

[thelakelander]

Although I think we ultimately share valid concerns about connectivity and isolation issues regarding the Sports District and DT in general, we'll just have to agree to disagree about the Fair being moved to the EC.  According to one of your earlier posts you said yourself you wouldn't surmise a negative impact from the Fairgrounds being moved, and I think that if you move a non-contributing entity adjacent to an entity that has complementing uses then its a win for the city in general.  The Fair organization runs the EC, which is an area they specialize in, and thereby two underutilized assets can create a synergy that doesn't exist independent of each other.  Sometimes its easy to forget on this site that the city is bigger than just DT.  While the decline of DT is one of the BIGGEST issues facing this city today, us Westsiders need some attention too

The only area where we don't see eye to eye on this particular issue is that I believe you can take a none contributing existing asset and transform it into a contributing one.  I've seen this done in many other places and believe it can happen in Jax too.  As for the Westside and Cecil, I'd like to see that area prosper as well.  Just not through cannibalizing another local neighborhood in the process.

It's always a pleasure discussing these issues with you.  You're intelligent, see the big picture, you don't complain but never offer solutions like many people in this city do, and you don't take my disagreements personally.... or at least you've never called me a moron to my face, lol.

Ditto.  I don't take anything said on these debates personally.  I love to participate in them because it helps me see certain situations and topics through the eyes of others.

[CS Foltz]

lake I concur! Whether or not you, or anyone else agree's, the differing viewpoints bring a context that would not be achievable without it! If I disagree with anything or anyone here, it matter not to me......just one more condiment in the overall flavor..........and when all agree about the same thing, we can build a concensus!

[Seraphs]

This is an old argument.  This is a no brain er.  Why would the city throw away money for such a ridiculous study.  It's only two weeks people.  What happend to the strive to become a world class city and we can't handle a little country fair without imploding?

[Keith-N-Jax]

400,000 huh,,and we need taxes raised right. I see why this city is in the shape its in.

[Jaxson]

Does anybody know where the Jacksonville fairgrounds were before the 1950s?

[CS Foltz]

It just occurred to me why the name "Sam Mousa" was familiar. I believe he was involved with the early Ship Yards work and the current new Court House! Seems to me that he has been in the perimeter around alot of the City Projects that are high dollar and have taxpayer funds involved. I guess being a past City Administrator allows a person to be in the inner circle.........does anyone else know of projects he was involved in?

[Ocklawaha]

There arent any buses to the equestrian center.

No but rumor has it that there is one hell of a herd of deer in the neighborhood!

OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

I know..........JTA will have an Equestian Trolley, designed to look like a horse or a deer for a few extra dollars!

[fieldafm]

Just b/c I always think something visual adds to the conversation:

[jandar]

TBH, even during the heydays of Midnight Madness at the fair, while living on the westside of Jacksonville, I rarely went to the fair.

A couple of thoughts here regarding this possible move:
The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair is not an Urban Fair. The entertainment is usually 80% country acts, with 10% R&B/Soul and 10% old rock act.
There are livestock contests, arts&crafts and horticulture exhibits.
Oh, and rides.

People are focusing on the rides aspect, quick, raise your hand if you went to the fair to watch the bovine competition. How many did?

Keeping with the them of the Agricultural fair, it does fit better at the Equestrian Center.
That said, would I visit it being that I live in Clay now? Nope, if I want to see horses, I go out to my friends houses, or spend time at my mothers house out at Diamond D Ranch.

On the other hand, what people think of the most for the fair is the rides and games and food.
Why not start one that focuses only on those?

[I-10east]

^^^Well said. I totally agree. I wonder how many kids are really gonna be yearning and reminiscing the fair if it moves (which is still in the city limits BTW) esp. the many kids who have been to places like Busch Gardens, Universal, WDW, Wild Adventures, etc. Suddenly people wanna act as if the GJAF is some world class event that will be a blackeye for the city if it goes to the Westside. I'm with Jandar, I think that the EC seems better equipped for this type of event. Besides you urban-holics can dream about some restaurant complex (or something) replacing the fairgrounds.

[thelakelander]

 Then let them move on their own dime.

[I-10east]

There's no denying that 400K seems like way too much for this study, but then again this city is known for wasting money, like the Shipyards, and the Coliseum renovation/demolition etc. I know that it sounds like I'm a walking contradiction. LOL. I guess I wasn't thinking about all of that money wasted on this thing; Although in the big picture, I would think that the operating costs of running the fair in the Westside would be cheaper than the current DT fairground location. The indoor seating would definitely be a plus at the EC.

[thelakelander]

The $400k is pennies compared to the $8 million taxpayers would have to pay to entice the fair to move to Cecil.

[Bativac]

TBH, even during the heydays of Midnight Madness at the fair, while living on the westside of Jacksonville, I rarely went to the fair.

A couple of thoughts here regarding this possible move:
The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair is not an Urban Fair. The entertainment is usually 80% country acts, with 10% R&B/Soul and 10% old rock act.

"Old rock acts." Is Eddie Money going to be content with performing at the equestrian center? I think we really need to get his thoughts on the matter.