$4 Million for Horse Hospitality “Jump Starts” 3 County Fairgrounds Development

NORTHAMPTON — State officials convened at the Three County Fair’s music barn on Sunday to announce the release of $4 million to build new horse facilities at the fairgrounds.

The old barns, which are in poor shape, will be demolished and three 100-stall barns will be built in their place. This project is the first phase of a long-term $45 million fairground redevelopment project.

The $4 million state grant had been authorized under a 2008 state environmental bond bill, but needed legislative approval and a signature from the governor for its release. “This was a competitive process,” State Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg (D-Amherst) told the crowd.

The equine upgrade will provide support for the annual American Morgan Horse Association show, an event that has been coming to Northampton for 75 years. The show brings more than 1,000 horses to the fair over 10 days, and pumps millions of dollars into the local economy, officials said. Keeping the horse show in town is important to ensure the overall success of the fairground project, Northampton Mayor Mary Clare Higgins said.

Local musicians Sue Burkhart and Ed Vadas (Ameri-MF-cana), who had been playing country blues, relinquished the stage for about 10 minutes as officials made their statements.

Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, in announcing the grant, noted that more than three million people visit Massachusetts agricultural fairs every year, and said that Gov. Deval Patrick recognizes their value to the commonwealth. Mass. Agriculture Commissioner Scott J. Soares spoke on the role such fairs play in maintaining rural cultural traditions and economies.

Once the stable complex is complete, the fairground is expected to attract other events, estimated to boost the regional economy by another $19 million per year, said officials.

State Rep. Peter V. Kocot (D-Northampton), Rosenberg, and Higgins each touted the regional economic benefits of redeveloping the historic fairground, and spoke of a cooperative effort between the Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society, city officials, the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce and state legislators in pushing the project forward.

Most projects earmarked under bond bills never see the light of day, Rosenberg told Northampton Media. “Phase One of the fairground redevelopment was in competition with hundreds of other projects, representing around $350 million,” he said. “Representative Kocot was instrumental in seeing that the fairground funding survived conference committee. He persuaded the House to go along with the Senate.”

For his part, Rosenberg said that he made “many calls” and eventually convened a meeting between the fairground’s board, city officials, legislators, business leaders and the Secretary of Executive Office of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzales. “The secretary is the gatekeeper for capital projects like this,” Rosenberg told Northampton Media. “The meeting went well.”

City Economic Development Director Teri Anderson said that the $4 million will “jump start” investment for the $26 million Phase Two of the project, which includes a year-round exhibition hall, improvements to the arena, and off-site traffic improvements. Anderson told Northampton Media that revenues from the exhibition hall will help pay off debt service for the project as a whole, and that financing for Phase Two will come from a variety of public and private sources.

The $4 million grant also contains a line item for Phase Two engineering services, Anderson told NM over the phone today. These engineering services will support a comprehensive stormwater management plan, which the city’s Conservation Commission will require before it signs off on the entire redevelopment project.

Coming Next on Northampton Media: A look at the permitting process for the Three County Fairgrounds redevelopment project. What will be the impact upon Ward 3 residents?