Montana ExpoPark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Montana ExpoPark
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Fine Arts building at the Montana ExpoPark
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| Location | 400 3rd Street NW, Great Falls, Montana, u.S. |
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| Built | 1919-1938 |
| Architect | Gordon G. Cottier and George M. Shanley |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 88003143 |
| Added to NRHP | January 13, 1989 |
The Montana ExpoPark is a huge fairground in Great Falls, Montana. It used to be called the North Montana State Fairgrounds. This big area is about 133 acres, which is like 100 football fields!
The ExpoPark has 35 buildings, a horse racing track, and a large sports arena called the Four Seasons Arena. It's a busy place! Every year, it hosts the Montana State Fair. You can also find agricultural shows, rodeos, basketball games, and fun funfairs here. Six of the oldest buildings at the fairgrounds were added to a special list called the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Contents
What Buildings Are at Montana ExpoPark?
The first buildings at the fairgrounds were designed by Gordon G. Cottier and George M. Shanley. These buildings were built in the Art Deco style, which was popular a long time ago. Some of the original buildings included the Atrium, Family Living Center, and Fine Arts Building.
Early Buildings and Their History
The Livestock Pavilion was the first building finished in 1919. Most of the other early buildings were built between 1928 and 1938. Many of these were paid for by the government through the Public Works Administration. This program helped create jobs during a tough time. In 1939, the Montana State Fair moved permanently to Great Falls. It used to be held in Helena.
The fairgrounds also have three big parks: Central Park, Family Living Park, and South Park. Other important buildings include the FFA Building and the Poultry/Rabbit Barn.
Modern Additions to the Fairgrounds
The Four Seasons Arena was built in 1979 and can seat 5,000 people. A large Exhibition Hall was added next to it in 1995. This hall is 15,000 square feet and can hold up to 1,500 people.
The Montana State Fair is a very popular event. It celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2011. More than 150,000 people visit the fairgrounds for the State Fair each year!
Who Manages the Montana ExpoPark?
Cascade County owns the Montana ExpoPark. For a while, the fairgrounds had money problems. In 1988, the city of Great Falls took over managing the fairgrounds.
Later, in 2002, a company called SMG World started managing the fairgrounds and the Four Seasons Arena. They are experts at running big event places.
Challenges with the Ice Rink
The Four Seasons Arena used to have an ice rink. But in 2003, the cooling system for the practice ice broke. It was too expensive to fix, so that part of the rink closed. The main ice rink also had problems and finally closed in 2006. It was hard to change the arena from an ice rink to other uses.
Cascade County continued working with SMG for a few more years. But in 2009, the county decided to manage the ExpoPark and arena on its own. They felt they had learned enough to do it themselves.
Recent Changes and Upgrades
In 2010, a big study looked at what changes the Montana ExpoPark needed. The study found that the grandstand, where people sit to watch races, was falling apart. The walls of the livestock pavilion were rusting. The horse barns needed better air and light. The Four Seasons Arena also had problems with sound and not enough seats.
Plans for Improvement
The study suggested many ideas. One idea was to spend millions of dollars to replace the grandstand. Another was to build a much bigger arena. They also thought about building new horse barns and a special track just for horse racing.
There were also less expensive ideas. For example, the Four Seasons Arena could become an exhibition hall. The current Exhibition Hall could become a banquet hall. Building a new 300-stall horse barn was another option. The study did not suggest building a huge facility like the one in Billings.
New Grandstand Construction
In 2018, the grandstand became a big problem. Concrete started falling from underneath it. The county leaders decided it was time to replace it. The area under the grandstands was closed for the 2018 State Fair. Soon after, the old grandstand was torn down. By the time of the 2019 fair, a brand new grandstand was ready for everyone to enjoy!
