FAIR NEWS
Minnesota State Fair Boasts $268 Million Economic Impact in Twin Cities The year-round operations of the 2018 Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul generated $268 million in economic impact for the Twin Cities, plus additional unmeasured impact throughout the Midwest. The economic impact study, conducted by IAFE Member Markin Consulting shows that the state fair supports more than 12,000 fulltime, seasonal, and part-time jobs with $76.9 million in direct earnings for Twin Cities residents. In addition, the state fair’s annual operation generates $9.9 million in state and local taxes. The economic impact study was produced using data from the state fair’s 2018 operations (fiscal year ending Oct. 31, 2018) of the Minnesota State Agricultural Society, the governing body of the state fair. The society is responsible for the production of the annual state fair, year-round activities, and upkeep of the 322-acre state fairgrounds. The 2018 state fair attracted a record 2 million visitors during its 12-day run, plus the fairgrounds hosted a busy schedule of 150 non-fair events throughout the year. “By far, the state fair’s most important impact is social. It’s where everyone feels welcome and where we celebrate the very best of each other. But every now and then, it’s also a good idea to take a look at the state fair’s economic impact. It’s important to remember that this study focuses only on the Twin Cities. There’s additional unmeasured impact throughout Minnesota and in neighboring states. And every Minnesotan can be proud that our fair receives no government funding,” stated State Fair of Minnesota General Manager and IAFE Hall of Famer Jerry Hammer. The 2019 Minnesota State Fair will be held Aug. 22-Sept. 2 in St. Paul.
Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Exposition Selects Eduardo Cora as President and CEO The board of directors at Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Exposition has hired Eduardo “Eddie” Cora as its new president and CEO. “We are pleased to announce that Eddie Cora will be leading the MiamiDade County Youth Fair & Exposition. While searching for candidates to lead our organization, Eddie stood out for his ability to bring years of valuable Youth Fair experience to the table. As a longtime board member and former chair of the board, he understands our business and has the ideas needed to carry it well into the future,” stated Nelson Bellido, chair of the board of directors. A resident of Miami since 1979, Cora was elected to The Youth Fair board of directors in 2000 and served two terms as chair. Before taking the helm at The Youth Fair, Cora was involved with the landscaping and agricultural industries since 1998. He promoted best management practices in landscaping to ensure environmental sustainability throughout all communities in Florida. He is a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture, and worked with partners in the community to preserve and increase the canopy coverage in Miami-Dade County.
Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Expo Awards College Scholarships The Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Expo in Miami, Fla., recently awarded $1,000 college scholarships to 157 recipients. The scholarship recipients are graduates of public, private, charter, home schooling, alternative education, and adult vocational schools in Miami-Dade County. Eighteen of the scholarships will go to students planning a career in agribusiness. In addition, the scholarship program has provided six $1,000 scholarships to Florida International University students who assisted with performing arts competitions during 2019 Youth Fair. For the sixth year, the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Expo provided $6,500 in scholarships to the winners and finalists of the prestigious 2019 Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. Overall, Scholarship Program disbursements, prizes, premiums, awards, and contributions totaled approximately $600,000. “The high cost to attain post-secondary education is placing an unprecedented financial burden on our young people. It is our hope that the scholarships will help ease the burden for these students and their families. We applaud their high achievement and encourage them to do great things in their lives and in our Miami-Dade community, the country and the world,” stated Eddie Cora, president and CEO of The Youth Fair. To date, The Youth Fair has awarded more than $11 million to Miami-Dade County students to help them achieve higher education.
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FAIRS & EXPOS | JULY/AUGUST 2019