Effort Continues for New Ross County Fair Commercial Building

The effort for a new commercial building at the Ross County Fair continues. Kevin Coleman heard an update on it at the Ross County Commissioners' meeting Monday.

The current large Commercial Building was built in 1945 and is not air conditioned or heated, has a leaky roof and sometimes floods - along with other deficiencies - so the committee on its replacement say it's served its time.

The new "Ross County Agricultural Commercial Event Center" will be at the same location as the old, but pushed back a little and a little wider. The 20,000 square foot building will seat 450 to 500 people seated, and about 1,500 standing.

They agreed that it would also serve as a mini-convention center, and be rented out for various events like weddings, meetings, and other events.

With the committee who spoke to the commissioners, member Sandy Free says they've learned the hard way that the $4,000,000 estimate and one-year timeline is just a guess since 2019.

They are working on sponsorships all the way from local corporations to 4-H clubs and individuals.

The Ross County Commissioners have supported the fair - though the Ross County Agricultural Society is a separate non-governmental organization - and they offered to contribute towards the new building.

You can learn more on the fairgrounds website or by calling the fair board's office.

Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom or Kevin Coleman