Opening parade during the 2012 North Dakota State Fair, Minot.
When Tim McGraw takes the grandstand stage at the North Dakota State Fair on July 19, it will be a triumph above and beyond a major country act playing one of the smaller state fairs.
Two years ago, officials made the difficult decision to cancel the Minot, N.D.-based fair at the last minute after flood waters did not recede in time for a cleanup.
Acts such as Kid Rock, Toby Keith and Lady Antebellum had to be contacted and informed of the fair’s closure. Murphy Bros. Exposition carnival and other vendors also had to be alerted of the decision to cancel the fair.
But all was not lost. The $20-million grandstand where McGraw will be performing and the $80-million North Dakota State Fair Center, an exhibition building, were saved because employees worked around the clock as the Mouse River threatened to flood, taking dirt from the racetrack and building dykes to keep the buildings safe.
Nineteen other structures on the fairgrounds suffered flood damage and needed work. That’s where the state of North Dakota came in.
Earlier this month, the North Dakota Legislature passed two bills to help the fair with the $4.5 million required to clean up the 19 buildings and improve infrastructure on the grounds. One bill, for $674,000, was passed specifically to help pay down the $4.5 million in cleanup expenses. Another $2.75 million was granted to help fair employees repair the asphalt and gravel damaged from the flood.
The fair’s general manager, Renae Korslien, recounted the ordeal the fair has undergone in the past two years since the Mouse River flooded the grounds and left 19 buildings standing in eight to 10 feet of water. Twelve-foot-high dykes fashioned from racetrack dirt saved the other two buildings.
“We built two massive dykes,” Korslien said. “We had a 36-hour warning. And so we got contractors here and built two dykes, one around the grandstand, which at that time was only a year old, and another one around our State Fair Center.”
The flooding took place on June 22, 2011, a month before the fair was to begin on July 22. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated that the flooding of the Mouse River, known as the Souris River in Canada, was a 200- 500-year-flood. It prompted the evacuation of about 11,000 North Dakota residents.
At first following the flood, fair officials held out hope that a smaller fair, featuring the grandstand entertainment, carnival and vendors, would be possible. But after the water did not recede in time, the decision was made to cancel the fair.
Korslien called Bob Romeo from the Romeo Entertainment Group to cancel the concerts, which also included Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo as well as Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. No one complained.
“The contracts do say ‘act of God,’ but I believe they probably could have done something,” Korslien said. “But they didn’t. They were all great.”
In addition to having to spend money to clean up after the flood, the fair lost money from not holding its major annual event.
“We truly never sat down and canceled it all out,” Korslien said.
After the flood waters receded, the cleanup began. Water had to be removed and buildings scrubbed. The same crew that had built the dykes and kept the water out power-washed buildings day after day.
“It took us a year, but we did do this,” Korslien said. “We had the fair of 2012 and it was fantastic.”
In addition to the $674,000 from the state to pay down the $4.5-million debt from the flood cleanup, the fair also received $3.4 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), leaving the fair with about $426,000 to cover. More FEMA funds might be forthcoming in the future, Korslien added.
The 2012 fair drew a record-breaking attendance of 310,839.
“The people came in. The fair has such huge support from people. We were so happy to be back. It was such a great attitude. It was such a wonderful fair. We’re hoping to repeat it this year. People really did come through with a different attitude. They were happy and there weren’t any complaints.”
This year’s fair will be held July 19-27.
Lost operating revenue from cancellation of the 2011 fair in combination with flood damage has meant curbing spending.
“For one full year, we were very conservative," Korslien said. "We did what we had to do. When we built the budget this year, and we did have a fabulous fair in 2012; we were able to get some projects back, so we are good.
“We’ll make it, and I’m proud to say that even with the flood of 2011, we could continue with our operating costs. Salaries and utilities were paid. I don’t know that a lot of places could have done that. We’re very proud that we didn’t have to go back to the legislature and ask for any operating funds.”
Interviewed for this article: Renae Korslien, (701) 857-7620