For years, Fair Park has been discussing options to keep the State Fair's home open all year-round -- instead of the couple of weeks it's normally filled by corny-dog seeking fair-goers.
The facilities surrounding and included in the Fair Park compound, such as Superpages.com Center and the Music Hall, draw crowds for many days when the fair ain't there, but the park's new plans include adding a giant "space needle" and roller coaster -- putting them in direct competition with Six Flags Over Texas.
Targeting 2012 as the opening of the planned improvements, State Fair organizers are going to have to pass a couple of major tests before the year-round project can really fire up. First, this year's fair has to make more than $30 million -- not an easy feat when last year's totals ran $29.5 million without a recession. Then, organizers will need to repeat that goal for the next few fairs, just to have enough to cover their current plans.
It's definitely a possible goal. Plans for a DART line at the front gate add to a healthy appetite for "staycationing" that has been keeping many travelers closer to home -- as well as possibly more folks at the fair this year. But if people can't afford as many slices of fried bacon or rides on the Tilt-a-Whirl, Big Tex's profits might not reach the goals already set.
If that happens, we're looking at delays for the project and less likelihood of a "space needle" in the Dallas skyline.
Six Flags spokesperson Sharon Parker had this to say about the possible development:
"The State Fair of Texas, like Six Flags Over Texas, is a great tradition. Six Flags has been around for 48 years and we're in the midst of planning for our 50th anniversary. It will be interesting to see how the State Fair fares."
