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Senator On Moving The Colorado State Fair: 'Let's Not Take Anything Off The Table'

DENVER (CBS4) - Some say the Colorado State Fair needs to move out of Pueblo if it wants to stay in business. Members of the Legislative Audit Committee say the fairgrounds are losing money, and some suggest the fair move to a new location. It could become a nasty fight.

The City and County of Pueblo held a news conference on Wednesday and made it clear the fair isn't going anywhere without a fight.

The fair generates approximately $29 million for the local economy, but it's not just about money -- it's about history. The state fair is older than the state of Colorado itself. It's been held in Pueblo since 1872.

Colorado State Fair
(credit: CBS)

"From a business standpoint we can see an entity that is not trending in the right direction," said state Sen. Tim Neville, R-Littleton.

Neville sits on the Legislative Audit Committee where the viability of the fair is in question after an audit showing the fairgrounds had an operating shortfall of just over $3 million last year. The state covered $2 million of that, but Neville says something has to give.

"Let's not take anything off the table, including the possible point of venue," he said.

Colorado State Fair
(credit: CBS)

"I don't think in any way shape or form we should move every revenue-creating entity in state to the Denver metropolitan area," said Chris Wiseman, Deputy Commissioner of the Agriculture Department.

Wiseman, who ran the fair until recently, says the problem isn't the fair itself because it turns a profit. It's the upkeep of the 80-acre fairgrounds the rest of the year that's the problem.

"We also do a lot of year-round events. We do the camper rallies, we do the Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals, but it doesn't make up for the cost of keeping those facilities where they're located. It's a tremendous amount of cost," Wiseman said.

Chris Wiseman
CBS4's Shaun Boyd talks with Chris Wiseman, Deputy Commissioner of the Agriculture Department (credit: CBS)

But he says the fair is also a tremendous boost to the local and state economy.

"If fairs made good business, there would be a lot of businesses doing fairs. But when you look across the country, it's governments that operate fairs," Wiseman said. "So if you want a fair you're going to have to invest in the fair."

"The key thing is how do we find a sustainable solution for the state fair that is also fair to taxpayers of Colorado?" Neville said.

In addition to the $2 million the fair already receives from state and local governments, It would take another $1.7 million to get it in the black.

Colorado State Fair2
(credit: CBS)

Pueblo's contribution to the fair has dropped over the last few years. Neville says that needs to change as well as attendance. But Wiseman said the average daily attendance at the state fair topped that at the National Western Stock Show last year.

In order to move the fair the state Legislature would have to approve it and the governor would have to sign off on it. Wiseman said both the speaker of the House and the governor want the fair to stay in Pueblo.

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