2006 brings investments in sound quality, brand image
Clark County has kicked the tires on its new fairgrounds Exhibition Hall. Its first year in operation was mostly a smooth ride, with a few bumps in the road. With additional improvements, the county hopes to make the venue more attractive to a wider audience.
A recent audit of the Clark County Event Center by the county auditor’s office showed the Exhibition Hall generated $380,000 in revenue in 2005. The county had earlier predicted the hall would make only about $120,000 and not be profitable in its first year.
The hall didn’t open until March and marketing for the venue didn’t begin in earnest until construction was complete. It wasn’t clear how the market would respond.
“We didn’t imagine it would be as popular and in demand as it has been,” said Doug Johnston, director of county general services, who retired this month.
Paul Scarpelli, who succeeds Johnston as the chair of the Fair Site Management Group overseeing management of the Exhibition Hall, said there has been a local pent-up demand for this type of venue.
The $18.5 million Exhibition Hall is 112,000 square feet. Across the river sits the Portland Expo Center, which is three times as big.
Event Center Marketing Manager Stephanie Frisch said the Exhibition Hall can market itself to event promoters as a venue to expand existing shows or to create new events. Few of last year’s events were new or one-time events. Portland promoters have found success in adding shows at the Exhibition Hall while maintaining Portland events.
Palmer/Wirfs and Associates, a promoter of antique and collectible shows in Portland, added an event in the Exhibition Hall’s first year on Jan. 14 and 15, despite having three shows more than twice the size just across the river at the Portland Expo Center annually.
“We decided to go there because we saw Clark County as a completely separate market,” said promoter Chris Palmer, “and boy were we right.”
The company held another event just six weeks later at the Expo Center, and attendance at the 25-year-old event wasn’t hurt at all, said Palmer, who is also a member of the Fairground Site Management Group that manages fairgrounds properties.
The 540 booths at the Clark County show drew 8,300 attendees, “an extremely good buyer to seller ratio,” said Palmer.
Promoters of home and garden and RV shows have also found a successful second home in the Exhibition Hall.
“People who live in Clark County want to stay in Clark County and want their own events,” said Palmer.
Most shows have signed on for multiple years, including one looking to book through 2010, said Justin Kobluk, assistant general manager of the Event Center.
“Every show has exceeded expectations,” he said.
Palmer said the building’s amenities include the ability to subdivide the hall into smaller sections, good lighting, ample parking, electrical outlets in the floor and good access for exhibitors and attendees.
The site could use more paper-towel distributors, though, said Palmer.
A few issues cropped up that the county is working to fix, including criticism of the Exhibition Hall’s sound quality. The county invested $164,700 for an acoustical upgrade expected to be completed this month. Kobluk said the upgrade will make the hall more suitable for large speaking engagements.
The county also invested in a PA system requested by customers and portable bleachers.
The success of the Exhibition Hall may be a catalyst for more change at the fair site. The county hopes to make the property a year-round destination, and not just a place people go for the fair. Along with the new hall came a revamped image. The non-profit Fair Site Management Group was formed to manage the re-branded Clark County Event Center. The volunteer Clark County Fair Association continues to run the annual fair.
A master plan for the fairgrounds is under development. Additional phases include construction of a new livestock arena, food court and a smaller exhibition hall.
Though managed separately, the Event Center and Amphitheater at Clark County hope to work together to secure bookings. The two venues share parking, meaning the Exhibition Hall has a seven month window from October to March to book shows while the amphitheater’s season runs from May to September. Scarpelli hopes the venues can hold simultaneous, complementary events with attendees paying one price. He used a classic car show in the hall with 50s and 60s music at the amphitheater as an example. The Exhibition Hall is also beginning to look outside the region for additional bookings, including working with the Southwest Washington Convention and Visitors Bureau to attract events.
Scarpelli said the county’s early goal for the Exhibition Hall of $700,000 in revenue annually by 2009 is attainable.
The hall is projected to generate $430,000 in 2006, which Scarpelli calls conservative.
“My guess is that we will bag that pretty early,” he said.
