LA PORTE COUNTY - A group of people that have formed a Blue Ribbon Committee are working to help improve the financial standing of the LaPorte County Fairgrounds. They are looking into one of the options, changing the oversight of the property without interfering with the fair. Jack Arnett, executive director of the LaPorte County Convention & Vistors Bureau says the Agriculture Association that currently runs the fair and supervises events at the fairgrounds, had reached out to the county to try to get help financially.
The Blue Ribbon Commitee wants to set up a plan in which the Agriculture Association can still run the fair, 4-H would not be effected and Pioneerland would be run by the same people for one month a year, and the remaining time of the year the fairgrounds would be run by an event director.
The new management model is already utilized by Porter County. Whatever course of action is decided upon, the Blue Ribbon Committee is going to help define the next steps. The LaPorte County Fairgrounds is also in serious need of repair and upgrades. Arnett says the long term goal is for the fairgrounds to be mostly self sufficient, and not rely on tax payer dollars. The committee meets again December 6th to move forward.
