Iowa State Fair livestock pavilions slated for $25 million renovation project
In the aftermath of what ranked as the fourth most-attended Iowa State Fair, the livestock barns on the fairgrounds are slated for a $25 million makeover, according to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation.
Officials described the condition of the livestock barns as "dire."
The livestock pavilions — comprised of cattle, horse, sheep, and swine barns — have not had any major renovations since they were constructed about a century ago, said foundation executive director Peter Cownie.
The four livestock barns represent Iowa’s "agricultural culture" at the fair, Cownie told the Des Moines Register, and serve primarily as the facilities for 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) youth to showcase their skills every August.
The barns are the "backbone" of the fair, said Cownie.
The project kicked off with a $5 million donation from the Richard O. Jacobson Foundation a few years ago, Cownie said.
The COVID-19 pandemic slowed efforts, but Jeff and Deb Hansen of Iowa Select Farms committed another $2 million for the swine barn portion and the Foundation received $12 million from the state’s Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund.
"The generosity of Iowans has been instrumental in making this great institution what it is today," Iowa State Fair CEO Gary Slater said in a statement. "The Iowa State Fair has a legacy of high-quality livestock and premier livestock shows. The historic barn renovations will give generations of Fairgoers the opportunity to continue the timeless tradition of showing livestock at the Iowa State Fair."
The structures' roofing, flooring, lighting, restrooms, and offices will be updated and each barn will have upgrades for specific needs, according to a release from the Foundation. The Foundation will address the barns' water retention issues, as well as electrical and climatizing needs, Cownie added.
The Foundation will meet with the Iowa State fair Board in October to talk about long- and short-term plans for the livestock farm's updates, he said. The renovations will take about three to four years to complete. By next year's fair, all of the barns will be in use, but they won't all be upgraded.
Cownie expressed his gratitude to all of the donors, adding that additional fundraising will come, in part, with help from the Iowa State Fair Authority as the project moves forward.
"Simply put, these gifts allow us to continue preserving the history of the Iowa State Fair while improving the grounds and the facilities for your children, your grandchildren and all Fairgoers," Cownie said in a statement.
To learn more about the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation, visit www.BlueRibbonFoundation.org.
Virginia Barreda is a trending and general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 'Dire' condition of Iowa State Fair livestock barns to get upgrade
