By STAN MADDUX

Indiana Correspondent

LA PORTE, Ind. — A decision has been made to restructure Indiana’s oldest county fair and have the fairgrounds professionally operated to bring in more money.

A blue ribbon committee appointed several months ago to look into the matter voted Oct. 26 to create a 10-member not-for-profit corporation to oversee the LaPorte County fairgrounds and, eventually, hire a full-time manager of the property.

The existing fair board is on its way out as year-round operators of the county government-owned property, but will have exclusive rights to the facility for a month before, during and after the LaPorte County fair. 4-H will have sole rights to the grounds during fair month and be given top priority in scheduling for its activities at the site throughout the year.

The mission is generating more revenue without interfering with the fair to pay for millions of dollars in facility needs, such as replacing the potentially life-threatening electrical system put in about a half-century ago.

Terry Garner, a LaPorte County councilman and committee member from Hanna, said the property must be improved before the manager is hired, and that could take a few years because of the millions of dollars it’s going to cost for the upgrades.

“First, you have something to manage, and we're not quite where we have anything to manage out there,” Garner said.

The restructuring was stipulated when the council recently forgave a $250,000 loan to the fair board in 2011 for extending sewer lines to the fairgrounds. It was modeled after the organizational structure put into place in 1984 at the Porter County fairgrounds.

Lori Daly, director of the fairgrounds in Valparaiso, said year-round activities at the Porter County Expo Center generates a vast majority of the revenue for its close to $500,000 annual budget.

She also said the fairgrounds is self-sufficient except for the $60,000-$70,000 yearly contribution from the county and the relationship with the fair board is on solid ground. “We do work very well together,” Daly said.

The LaPorte County fairgrounds doesn't have an expo center but Jack Arnett, another blue ribbon committee member, said the grandstands and motorsports arena can host more concerts, tractor pulls and other major outdoor events.

Some of the existing buildings are suitable for host additional money-making indoor events. ''We're positioned right now to hold events – a lot of events,'' said Arnett, who’s also executive director of the LaPorte County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The committee will meet again Dec. 6 to review and possibly approve legal documents being drafted now for the restructuring. The fair has existed since 1845.