Governor Opens The New York State Fair and its New Exposition Center

From Gov. Cuomo's office:

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today officially marked the opening the brand-new Exposition Center at the New York State Fairgrounds with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

The 136,000-square-foot Expo Center, the largest indoor events space north of New York City between Boston and Cleveland, was unveiled during the kick-off of the 2018 Great New York State Fair. 

The new facility, and the recently completed renovation of the Fair's Orange parking lot, complete the second phase of the Governor's plan to revitalize the State Fairgrounds. The improvements complement Central NY Rising, the region's strategy to boost the local economy. 

 

"The new Exposition Center is a welcome addition to the Fairgrounds that will not only help bolster State Fair attendance, but provide an event space capable of hosting a record number of visitors year-round," Cuomo said. "By boosting tourism and attracting businesses from across the country, the uniquely situated Expo Center will deliver lasting economic benefits to keep Central New York rising for generations to come."

 

The Expo Center, with 110,000 square feet of clear-span floor space, has the capacity to hold more than 500, 10 foot-by-10 foot trade show booths. 

The massive venue, which also features 4,000 retractable seats, will attract major shows and special events, including car, boat, and RV shows, pet expos, consumer and trade shows, home and garden shows, tech expos and more—many of which were previously unable to come to upstate New York due to the lack of suitable space. 

The Expo Center increases the amount of available indoor space on the fairgrounds to more than 450,000 square feet.

 

Cuomo also announced the state Department of Transportation has completed a $27 million redesign and modernization of the Orange Lot, the Great New York State Fair's largest parking lot. Improvements to the 65-acre lot to improve access, enhance safety and significantly expand capacity, began last fall. 

More than 7,000 parking spaces are available in the freshly paved lot, up from the 4,000 to 5,000 that were available last year on a dirt surface. Access improvements will reduce delays from traffic backing up onto the Exit 7 ramps to Interstate 690, easing congestion during peak travel times.

 

The improvements mark the completion of Phase 2 of Governor Cuomo's revitalization plan. Phase 1 of the transformation plan included a full-service RV park for 313 campers and a larger, relocated Midway area that allows for more open space for Fair programming and non-Fair events. 

A new Main Gate entrance was also built, along with a new exhibit area for the New York State Police, and the Sky Ride, a 1,400-foot long chairlift ride. The Indian Village also received renovations to its Turtle Mound, the home of cultural performances during the Fair. 

 

Since the beginning of renovations, State Fair attendance has grown by more than 28 percent and non-fair event estimated attendance has grown 57 percent from 2016 to 2017. 

 

Many new non-fair events are already scheduled for the fairgrounds and its new Exposition Center.

 

After the Fair, the Expo Center will host several events in 2018 that are new to upstate including:

• The Taste NY Fall Festival, October 12-13: This event will feature vendors from across New York State, who will sell locally produced and manufactured food and beverages, highlighting local and regional cuisines and showcasing the diversity of the state. The family-friendly festival will feature pumpkin patches and pumpkin carving, amusement rides and farm petting zoos so children can see how food is raised, grown and produced. 
• The HITS Indoor Championships, Oct. 24-28: This new event is a competition for Junior and Amateur horse riders at the beginning and intermediate levels in order to continue to develop the sport at the grass roots level. 
• The FlyFast Drone Racing Competition and Showcase, Nov. 10-11: This event is a set of racing competitions for amateurs and professionals. A variety of courses will be offered for the competitors to fly through as well as courses for testing the intricate skills of pilots. The Showcase will include drone flying lessons for first time pilots and workshops and clinics for developing drone operators and racers. It will also include a marketplace for attendees to shop for the latest drone technology. The event highlights the Governor's investment in unmanned aerial vehicle technology, as the area between Syracuse and Rome has been designated one of only a handful of drone testing corridors in the nation.