Topline: A ticket for the legendary Ohio State Fair only costs $12, but local taxpayers will spend far more, whether or not they actually attend.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has already secured $386 million for his “master plan” to renovate the fairground, and Cleveland.com says the project “could conceivably cost billions” before its completion in 2050.
Key facts: The Ohio Expo Center is mainly known for the state fair that has been held since 1850 and drew visitors from all 50 states this year, but the center is open year-round for events.
Taxpayers will help transform the center with renovations that include a new “Town Square” to showcase Ohio’s “agriculture and natural resources.” The “Multi-Purpose Agricultural Education Facility” will feature 24 pickleball courts and dozens of other amenities. And more funds will go toward “vital unseen underground improvements.”
It’s a huge jump from previous funding. The state legislature allocated just over $10 million to fund the fair this year, and even that was twice as high as 2022.
Search all federal, state and local government salaries and vendor spending with the AI search bot, Benjamin, at OpenTheBooks.com.
Background: Over 1 million people visited the Ohio State Fair in 2023, meaning it would take about $386 from each of them to fund the state’s grand construction plans for the fairground.
The state’s Exposition Commission sent paychecks to 660 people last year.
Most of those were seasonal workers for the fair, but there were still 51 employees who made between $40,000 and $172,000 last year, according to records at OpenTheBooks.com.
Summary: Axios Columbus joked in 2022 that DeWine “loves fairs more than (former Ohio State football coach) Woody Hayes loved winning.” That’s fine, but DeWine should leave taxpayers’ wallets out of it.
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