mrowl
8/28/2006, 08:40 PM
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/columnists/rmiller/stories/DN-miller_27bus.ART.State.Edition1.31b468e.html
Team steps right up to State Fair challenge
Revamped midway, new roller coaster among board's visions
10:14 AM CDT on Sunday, August 27, 2006
State Fair of Texas president and chief executive Errol McKoy is a master of theme park concepts. Mix that with a dynamic board of veterans with young ideas and an eagerness to dream big, and dreams can turn into reality.
The changes in store by 2009 for the State Fair of Texas and Fair Park will be a quantum leap from the past that's as dramatic as the 1936 Centennial was from the State Fairs that preceded it, Mr. McKoy says.
Some of the ideas have already been broached publicly.
They include a 400-foot space needle; a face lift for the midway, which will operate throughout the summer; a new roller coaster; a new livestock auction/sale pavilion; a sky lift; and a wristband system that would allow people to leave the midway area and return without paying again.
Mr. McKoy and his board have put a lot of thought into the big picture since those ideas were made public almost a year ago.
They still point to the year 2009 as a landmark year because that is when DART light rail reaches Fair Park.
By that time, the Cotton Bowl will have been renovated to seat 92,000. The board hopes it will be ready in time for the 2008 season and will help attract teams such as the University of Notre Dame, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University to add to the super regulars – the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma, and Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University, Mr. McKoy said.
The seats will be torn out, the concrete surface will be completely refinished, and metal benches will be installed – for the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day, the goal is to be "the finest fall football setting in the nation," he says.
So why benches? "People attending football games stand up half the time anyway."
The Cotton Bowl renovation will cost $30 million.
Texas-size scoreboard
The "new" Cotton Bowl will also feature "a $5 million JumboTron – the largest high-definition video scoreboard providing scores and replays – in the city." That feature should be ready this fall. It will be installed on the east end and is 60 feet tall and 80 feet wide.
The 8,000 seats will be added in each end zone to boost the current 76,000 capacity to 92,000.
And since there will still be double decks on both sides of the stadium, there will be five plasma-screen video monitors on each side under the overhang and 40 TV monitors in the concourses so that people going for food or to restrooms will not miss a play.
"The bowl will be perfectly symmetrical and will look seamless," Mr. McKoy said.
The face lift of the 18-acre midway will take two or three years and cost $20 million. The latest plans call for it to operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day.
There will be a shade cover with a fine mist and fans to combat the heat of the Dallas summer sun and a high-speed water thrill ride by 2009.
"Restoration of historic Fair Park buildings will cost around $70 million and will start in 2007 and run through 2009," Mr. McKoy said.
New livestock hall
George Shafer, the State Fair board chairman, is spearheading the drive to build a three-story livestock building that will serve Future Farmers of America and 4-H youth and their entries, Mr. McKoy said.
After the Cotton Bowl is refurbished and there's a new livestock building, some of the dreams include trying to recruit out-of-town soccer teams and hosting horse shows and auctions year round, even winning back some horse shows that have been lost to Fort Worth.
Mr. McKoy also said that Mexican soccer leagues offer potential attractions.
The State Fair chief takes a look at the public and private financing that will fund this "crossroads" and sees nothing but fair skies ahead.
"The $1.3 billion bond program that will be on the Nov. 7 ballot includes $375 million for parks and recreation, with $100 million of that carved out for Fair Park," he said.
"In fact, most of those putting together the bond program wanted to know if that was enough.
"Of the $100 million, $70 million will be spent on historic restoration, which includes the agriculture area plus the new facilities. Then there is the $30 million for the Cotton Bowl.
"In addition, with major assistance of Walter Elcock, president of the Texas Region of Bank of America, the State Fair was able to obtain a loan of $20 million from B of A – making the total $120 million."
Mr. McKoy said the Meadows Foundation has been a big supporter of the State Fair, and other foundations will be approached to help raise the total to $150 million.
Paul Dyer, director of the city's Parks and Recreation Department, will direct the historical restoration effort; board member and former chairman Pete Schenkel will oversee the Cotton Bowl renovation and team recruiting effort; and Mr. McKoy will guide the midway theme park project and planning efforts.
The whole enterprise, when completed, will reflect the five E's, Mr. McKoy said:
•Easy to get to because of light rail.
•Economical because the low $20 admission fee for the midway theme park (about half the price of Six Flags or Sea World).
•Educational free exhibits inside.
•Entertaining.
•Eating experience nonpareil.
Team steps right up to State Fair challenge
Revamped midway, new roller coaster among board's visions
10:14 AM CDT on Sunday, August 27, 2006
State Fair of Texas president and chief executive Errol McKoy is a master of theme park concepts. Mix that with a dynamic board of veterans with young ideas and an eagerness to dream big, and dreams can turn into reality.
The changes in store by 2009 for the State Fair of Texas and Fair Park will be a quantum leap from the past that's as dramatic as the 1936 Centennial was from the State Fairs that preceded it, Mr. McKoy says.
Some of the ideas have already been broached publicly.
They include a 400-foot space needle; a face lift for the midway, which will operate throughout the summer; a new roller coaster; a new livestock auction/sale pavilion; a sky lift; and a wristband system that would allow people to leave the midway area and return without paying again.
Mr. McKoy and his board have put a lot of thought into the big picture since those ideas were made public almost a year ago.
They still point to the year 2009 as a landmark year because that is when DART light rail reaches Fair Park.
By that time, the Cotton Bowl will have been renovated to seat 92,000. The board hopes it will be ready in time for the 2008 season and will help attract teams such as the University of Notre Dame, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University to add to the super regulars – the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma, and Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University, Mr. McKoy said.
The seats will be torn out, the concrete surface will be completely refinished, and metal benches will be installed – for the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day, the goal is to be "the finest fall football setting in the nation," he says.
So why benches? "People attending football games stand up half the time anyway."
The Cotton Bowl renovation will cost $30 million.
Texas-size scoreboard
The "new" Cotton Bowl will also feature "a $5 million JumboTron – the largest high-definition video scoreboard providing scores and replays – in the city." That feature should be ready this fall. It will be installed on the east end and is 60 feet tall and 80 feet wide.
The 8,000 seats will be added in each end zone to boost the current 76,000 capacity to 92,000.
And since there will still be double decks on both sides of the stadium, there will be five plasma-screen video monitors on each side under the overhang and 40 TV monitors in the concourses so that people going for food or to restrooms will not miss a play.
"The bowl will be perfectly symmetrical and will look seamless," Mr. McKoy said.
The face lift of the 18-acre midway will take two or three years and cost $20 million. The latest plans call for it to operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day.
There will be a shade cover with a fine mist and fans to combat the heat of the Dallas summer sun and a high-speed water thrill ride by 2009.
"Restoration of historic Fair Park buildings will cost around $70 million and will start in 2007 and run through 2009," Mr. McKoy said.
New livestock hall
George Shafer, the State Fair board chairman, is spearheading the drive to build a three-story livestock building that will serve Future Farmers of America and 4-H youth and their entries, Mr. McKoy said.
After the Cotton Bowl is refurbished and there's a new livestock building, some of the dreams include trying to recruit out-of-town soccer teams and hosting horse shows and auctions year round, even winning back some horse shows that have been lost to Fort Worth.
Mr. McKoy also said that Mexican soccer leagues offer potential attractions.
The State Fair chief takes a look at the public and private financing that will fund this "crossroads" and sees nothing but fair skies ahead.
"The $1.3 billion bond program that will be on the Nov. 7 ballot includes $375 million for parks and recreation, with $100 million of that carved out for Fair Park," he said.
"In fact, most of those putting together the bond program wanted to know if that was enough.
"Of the $100 million, $70 million will be spent on historic restoration, which includes the agriculture area plus the new facilities. Then there is the $30 million for the Cotton Bowl.
"In addition, with major assistance of Walter Elcock, president of the Texas Region of Bank of America, the State Fair was able to obtain a loan of $20 million from B of A – making the total $120 million."
Mr. McKoy said the Meadows Foundation has been a big supporter of the State Fair, and other foundations will be approached to help raise the total to $150 million.
Paul Dyer, director of the city's Parks and Recreation Department, will direct the historical restoration effort; board member and former chairman Pete Schenkel will oversee the Cotton Bowl renovation and team recruiting effort; and Mr. McKoy will guide the midway theme park project and planning efforts.
The whole enterprise, when completed, will reflect the five E's, Mr. McKoy said:
•Easy to get to because of light rail.
•Economical because the low $20 admission fee for the midway theme park (about half the price of Six Flags or Sea World).
•Educational free exhibits inside.
•Entertaining.
•Eating experience nonpareil.