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Moving fairgrounds is low on list of county priorities

JANESVILLE — Conversation about moving the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds hasn’t gone on for a century, but, some days, it seems like an eternity.

Yet the project doesn’t even make County Board Chairman Richard Ott’s top-five list of priorities.

“It’s not even on the radar,” Ott said.

The issue reared its head again in February when the Rock County Agriculture and Extension Committee approved a resolution to set aside 100 acres of county-owned property for a future fairgrounds. The committee earmarked property at the northeast corner of the intersection of highways 14 and 51, a part of the former county farm.

But the county staff committee, which Ott chairs, tabled the resolution on its way to the full county board for approval. The staff committee asked the ag committee to reconsider the location—possibly moving the site further east, away from the high profile corner at the highway intersection.

Ott said he supports 4-H and FFA programs—the fairgrounds’ most visible users. But there’s a long list of things on which the county needs to spend money before considering investing in a fair, he said.

Architects are working on plans for a new 750-bed jail, he said. County residents with mental and physical health issues are on waiting lists for services, and those potholes on the county roads aren’t going to fix themselves.

“I appreciate the fact that (building a new fairgrounds) is a goal for some of the people,” Ott said. “But when I look at the overall burden on the taxpayers—another $20 (million) to $30 million—I shudder to think of that.”

Ott’s competition for his seat on the county board disagrees.

“Common sense tells you it needs to be looked at,” 23rd District candidate Steve Flood said. “I think the county needs to take a look at it. It looks to me like (supporters) are looking for some type of sponsorship dollars. Nobody’s talking about it.”

Ott and Flood do agree on one thing. The location at the intersection of highways 14 and 51 isn’t the best for a fairgrounds.

Moving it east makes it “more palatable” for Ott.

“... as much as I don’t like any of it,” Ott said.

Flood said the corner piece of property is a key to future economic development in Janesville.

“Who’s going to say, ‘Let’s put a hotel up right where they’re going to put that barn?’” Flood said. “They could find a better spot for it.”

Rock County 4-H Fair Board President Wayne Flurry said the 18.5 landlocked acres that currently host the fair limits the fair’s activities.

An exposition center and fairgrounds would allow year-round activities, Flurry said.

Events such as demolition derbies or big-name musical acts would draw crowds, Flurry said.

Rock Township dairy farmer Margaret Hazeltine recently told The Janesville Gazette she’s been trying to draw regional cattle shows to the fairgrounds, but the lack of indoor facilities makes it tough.

“Right now, you can’t have a good cow show,” Hazeltine said. “There’s not enough space and most of the facilities are outside, so you can’t use it year-round.”

Even parts of the 4-H fair show have to be split up to fit everyone, Flurry said.

“You pretty much decide what you have and what you put on by the space you have,” he said. “It hasn't changed a lot. I think that the location of a new fairgrounds would absolutely provide an exciting list of things to add.”

Flurry said the fair’s founders were forward thinking when they set aside land for a fairgrounds.

“I think the people who control that ought to be the same way.”