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Horse show cancels due to fairgrounds' power problems

Posted February 22, 2008 10:00 pm

Doug Finke

Ongoing electrical problems forced another major event out of the Illinois State Fairgrounds, leaving organizers, local businesses and the city to count their losses.

The Illinois Horse Fair scheduled for Feb. 29 through March 2 was canceled when organizers learned they could not stage the event at the fairgrounds. The horse fair, which draws an estimated 10,000 people, was celebrating its 20th year.

"We searched every facility in the state and came up with nothing that was viable that we could shoehorn into," said Frank Bowman, president of the board for the Horseman's Council of Illinois. "Our event is very large."

As late as Wednesday, Bowman said, state officials were telling fair organizers that they thought the electrical problems could be resolved and the show could go on as scheduled. On Thursday, organizers were told the show could not be held on the grounds.

"We went from full steam ahead to full on the brakes," Bowman said.

The cancellation means serious financial problems for the council. The fair is its biggest fundraiser of the year.

"We have a ton of up-front costs with contracts and advertising," Bowman said. "We have to honor our contracts. We're losing a majority of this year's income and also a majority of our reserves. We are taking a pretty substantial hit."

The state will refund deposits made for use of the fairgrounds, Bowman said. People who bought tickets in advance will get their money back, as well.

"We were doing great on pre-sold tickets. It doubled from last year," Bowman said.

Cancellation of the Illinois Horse Fair comes right after the Illinois Beef Expo rescheduled and relocated its event to Bloomington. The expo, which attracts up to 13,000 people, had been scheduled this weekend at the fairgrounds.

The Illinois Beef Expo and the Illinois Horse Fair are the two biggest revenue producers scheduled at the fairgrounds this time of year. Each pumps about $250,000 into Springfield's economy, said Gina Gemberling, director of convention sales for the city.

"Each of them uses 600 room nights (at local hotels)," she said. "This is one of the slower times business-wise for the hotel community."

It got even slower for the Ramada Ltd. and Northfield Inn on Springfield's far northeast side. Both hotels were solidly booked by people planning to attend the two events.

"We've lost a lot of business with the cancellations going on out there," said Mike Grant, assistant manager of the hotels. "Those are two pretty major events for these two hotels."

Not only did the hotels lose room revenue, Grant said, but the beef expo had rented banquet space.

"Some of the rooms we will be able to sell, but not all of them," he said. "It's too short a notice to try to track down other business."

Department of Agriculture officials continue to offer little information about what is going on at the fairgrounds.

"Simply put we've had electrical failures on at least three occasions and we have not been able to determine a cause," said department spokesman Paris Ervin in an e-mail sent in response to written questions submitted by The State Journal-Register. "We have yet to pinpoint a cause, however, crews are working diligently to identify and try to fix the problems."

She did not respond directly to a question about widespread reports that an explosion occurred last week in an underground electrical vault, sending a large, heavy manhole cover flying.

Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, said more information should be released.

"We keep trying to ask questions," said Poe, who heard stories about the explosion. "I know they are doing as much as they can do, but sometimes it doesn't seem like the public, especially, is being informed enough as to when they are going to start up.

"I heard it's going to take eight to 10 weeks to even get the parts and supplies they need to fix it."

Poe's son, Lance, was scheduled to have his wedding reception at the fairgrounds this weekend. He found another location for it.

"We're not really learning anything," said Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.

"What I think is occurring is because of budget reductions over the years, they've allowed a lot of this deferred maintenance to go by the wayside. Now we have a serious situation."

Two other events were scheduled for the fairgrounds the weekend of March 1.

The Montessori Children's House dinner and auction has been rescheduled for April 26 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts.

The Department of Agriculture's Illinois Products Expo has not yet been canceled, according to Ervin, who said in the e-mail: "We are trying to find an alternate location just in case."

Doug Finke can be reached at (217) 788-1527.

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