Fairgrounds wants new exhibition hall Fairgrounds wants new exhibition hall (March 12, 2004)

100,000-square-foot building would double show space
by Dolores Fox Ciardelli

The Fairgrounds Association wants to add a 100,000-square-foot building to the grounds, said CEO Rick Pickering, to accommodate demand for more rental space, including shows held annually at the site.

"Good Guys is turning away vendors," said Pickering.

The existing buildings provide approximately 90,000 square feet so the addition would double the exhibition space, he said. The cost of the new building is estimated at $10 million.

The Fairgrounds also serves as a designated Emergency Site by the state's Office of Emergency Services.

The Fairgrounds Association contributed nearly $195.7 million in economic benefits to the county in 2002, according to KPMG consulting firm in its recently released report, "Striking Gold at the Alameda County Fair." The report states that the Fair Association created 1,854 local jobs and $3.2 million in tax revenues.

Horseracing activities accounted for another $109.9 million in economic impact, at least 600 jobs and more than $230,000 in local taxes, for a total of more than $300 million.

The Fair, year-round events and the satellite wagering facility have grown so that 2003 gross revenues exceeded $17 million, with nearly 28 percent of that growth occurring since 1998. The addition of the 100,000-square-foot building will bring further economic benefits to the community from the Fairgrounds, said Pickering.

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