A capital idea for the capital city is a fair at Fuji Park Fairgrounds, business-wise and otherwise, but a look into feasibility should keep the cart behind the horse.
The ad hoc committee spearheading the feasibility look on behalf of Carson City’s Board of Supervisors is stocked with public- and private-sector enthusiasts. Talk among members at the group’s meeting a week ago was of a fair next year.
Some members seemed interested in nuts and bolts before blueprints, so to speak, which smacks of the horse pushing the cart instead of pulling.
Four subgroups were formed to look at entertainment options, agricultural events and the like, carnival prospects, and outreach. The outreach unit is charged with checking into the community, presumably for interest and input, as well as sponsorships and possible vendors.
Deputy City Manager Marena Works, who heads up the ad hoc group, said vendors will be important.
General discussion touched on money matters, but nothing specific was mentioned and it remains clear that community support is unlikely to include a significant amount from the consolidated city government still emerging financially from lean times.
So the horse before the cart, it seems equally clear, must involve how such an event can be financed. A fair, regional or statewide in scope, will require adequate funding or wind up a good intention on the low road to problems rather than the high road to high times.
Certainly a well-run “Nevada Fair” that grows over time into a true state fair would be a mid-year boomlet annually for Carson City. Senior Judge Robey Willis, the man who originally pushed the fair idea this year and is on the committee, was the ad hoc unit member who said last week it should be called the Nevada Fair at first.
But any feasibility scan must keep the financing horse’s tail, and tale, well in view before everyone gets into the cart and rides happily into the sunset.
It will be intriguing to see at September’s meeting what creative ideas come forth regarding that knotty aspect. It also will be interesting to see whether the mid-2014 target for having the first fair remains intact.
Mounting a well-planned, adequately financed and successful fair from scratch takes time. It could be done next year, but financing and organization are key. It is likely when the feasibility study results reach the Board of Supervisors in October, those matters will be on each governing board member’s mind.
“There’s a lot of energy that has been generated,” Works said, keying off the fact there is ample interest.
But making it work is crucial, so money and tenacity must be ample as well. Financing and will power must be marshalled community-wide, which can take time.
