Georgia National Fair officials outline capital needs after $1.14M one-time appropriation

Officials from the Georgia National Fair’s Ag Expo outlined facilities needs to the Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee and described the fairgrounds’ role in youth agricultural education and statewide visitor spending.

Lori Dowd, CFO at the Ag Expo, recounted that during the fair 7,136 students participated in educational programming, nearly 1,970 exhibitors showed livestock and nearly 3,600 animals were exhibited. She said a recent UGA economic study estimated the fairgrounds produce an annual statewide economic impact of about $130 million in visitor spending and related activity.

Capital needs and recent funding: Dowd listed ongoing capital projects and funding buckets — roughly $500,000 remaining in one project for bathrooms, $500,000 in another bucket for roof repairs (GAE 24), $460,000 earmarked for RV site expansion (40–50 additional sites), and a new barn/arena planned for 2027. She thanked the committee for a one-time FY26 appropriation of $1,140,000 that will address administrative HVAC work and other needs.

Operations and revenue: Dowd said the fairgrounds host roughly 200 events per year, generating gate and vendor sales tax revenue; she reported approximately $1.5 million collected ‘inside the gates’ during the fair and said about $280,000 of that comes from gate receipts specifically (7% sales tax). The fair also receives an annual appropriation that supports youth livestock exhibitor programming.

Committee follow-up: Senators asked for a more detailed sales-tax breakdown and Dowd agreed to provide it; the committee did not vote on any item during the hearing.