At least four from Ag Committee like Grand Island as fair site

At least four of the eight members of the Legislature’s Agriculture Committee regard Grand Island as the best site for the Nebraska State Fair if it moves from Lincoln’s State Fair Park. Sens. Vickie McDonald of St. Paul, Russ Karpisek of Wilber and Annette Dubas of Fullerton favor Grand Island.

Even Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, who has never made any secret of his indifference to the fair, said “if it is to have any relevance, it should be somewhere other than where it is now.” Committee Chairman Phil Erdman of Bayard, still working Wednesday to broker a deal that could convert the fairgrounds to a research campus, was not willing to state a preference for a new location.

Only one senator, Norm Wallman of Cortland, wants to move the fair to near the Lancaster Event Center in northeast Lincoln. Sen. Don Preister of Omaha wants to keep the event in Lincoln, although, he said, “I can live with Grand Island.” The eighth member, M.L. “Cap” Dierks of Ewing, is mostly worried about keeping the cost of any move in check. Erdman has not yet scheduled the executive session needed to advance a bill to the floor.

The committee’s current priority bill would require the university to offer $30 million in compensation for taking over State Fair Park, or its appraised value, whichever is higher. Various amendments are also possible, including an alternative advanced earlier by Sen. Ron Raikes of Lincoln that would remove the fair by 2012 and sort out its destination and any financial implications later.