Expo 2050 Master Plan

Background

In July 2019, Governor DeWine formed the Expo 2050 Task Force to recommend a long-term vision for the Ohio Expo Center. After much review and work, the group determined the next path forward was to secure a third-party to embark on a Master Plan for the facility. This work was completed during the 2022 calendar year, in partnership with the Expo 2050 Task Force, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, and a team of renowned third-party consultants with experience in the fair, convention, and livestock facility industries. In 2023, this work pivoted from the Master Planning effort to architecture, design, and construction - work that continues today.

Master Plan
Wellogy was assisted by partners Populous, CSL International, EDGE Landscape Architecture, Korda Engineering, Bennett Engineering, and Concord Addis. Steps that went into the development of the proposal included:

Benchmarking – conducted research on markets, facilities, and fairs across the country, including structure, budget, size, parking availability, and more. 
Facility Assessment – assessed each building, thoroughly reviewing the current structures, utilities, and infrastructure, to identify any necessary renovations, and analyzed each building’s suitability for current and future events. 
Site Utilization – reviewed existing and prospective event needs, along with the current frequency that many buildings are in use for set-up, tear-down, or event days. 
Stakeholder Research – interviewed and surveyed more than 90 stakeholders from approximately 40 different organizations, including event holders, agency partners, agricultural commodity groups, youth organizations, Expo 2050 Task Force members, legislative and community partners, Ohio Expositions Commission members and staff, vendors, sponsors, staff, The Ohio State University, Haslam Sports Group and Columbus Crew SC, the Ohio History Connection, the city of Columbus, and safety and security partners.

Current Improvements

Thanks to the generous support of the General Assembly, the first phase of renovations to the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds began in the fall of 2023. Today, the fairgrounds property is an active construction site with projects that will pave the way for a brighter future. The total project budget is approximately $460 million and includes:

Two new buildings
A new main entry gate from the main parking areas on the northern portion of the property 
Creation of a Town Square, including a misting area, a performance amphitheater, seating and play areas, and more
Renovations to four buildings: the Bricker Building, Dairy Products Building, North Commercial Pavilion, and Solar Home (now First Aid Center)
Underground infrastructure work including electrical, water, sewer, stormwater, fiber, and Wi-Fi 
New permanent iconic Ohio-themed carousel to anchor the “historic district,” an area surrounded by late 1800s and early 1900s buildings at the fairgrounds
Finished site work, including landscaping, shade and seating, wayfinding, and more to improve overall beautification and functionality 
Conversion of an abandoned armory into a parking facility

*Note: the images below are conceptual designs only and are not necessarily reflective of the final designs

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Town Square

A new open space referred to as the “Town Square” is a blank canvas in the center of the grounds to be used by non-fair events to best accommodate their unique needs and improve flow. During the Ohio State Fair, the “Town Square” will feature additional food, family-friendly resting areas, and children's activities. Located just outside the entrance to Natural Resources Park, it will highlight the core Fair foundations of agriculture and natural resources, within a modern, fun, and intentional setting that will be one of the "go-to" destinations of the Fair moving forward, complete with ample shade and seating.
Completion: 2026

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Multi-Purpose Agricultural Education Facility

This innovative building features built-in kitchens, dining space, meeting rooms, and more than 100,000 square feet of multi-use convention space. During the Ohio State Fair, this building will combine functions of the Taste of Ohio Café and the Agriculture & Horticulture Building in partnership with the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and Ohio’s agricultural commodity groups. With expansive temperature-controlled space, this building creates new opportunity for year-round event rentals, including:

Community Outreach Events
Livestock and Equine Events
High School and Education Events
Robotics Competitions
STEM Competitions
Science Fairs
Youth Programming and Events
Graduations
Sports
- Basketball (5-8 courts)
- Gymnastics (2 competition layouts)
- Volleyball (14 courts)
- Indoor soccer (3 pitches)
- Cheerleading (22 mats)
- Fencing (17 pistes)
- Boxing (10 fields of play)
- Taekwondo (7 fields of play)
- Pickleball (24 courts)
- Table tennis (30 fields of play)
- Weightlifting (12 fields of play)
- Wrestling (12 fields of play)

Completion: 2026

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Ohio Showcase

The Ohio Showcase building will anchor the center of the grounds near the new open “Town Square” gathering space and will feature additional comfort seating and shade for fairgoers and guests. The exterior focal point of the building will be a glass “jewel box” featuring large historic artifacts, with the potential for objects as large as a Wright Flyer airplane. This dual-purpose building features two primary purposes:

Ohio's Story - an exhibit telling the story of our great state in conjunction with the Ohio History Connection
Dining and Event Space - A food hall with multi-purpose dining and event space and incubator kitchens on the first floor, and additional dining and event space on the second story. Both levels include outdoor dining on a patio or balcony.

Completion: 2026

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Entry Gate (north)

A new, iconic state-of-the-art entry gate will replace the aging lackluster gate between the main parking lots near Historic Crew Stadium and the giant red cardinal on the north side of the grounds. Traditionally, this gate is where approximately 80% of fairgoers enter the Fair. This upgrade will make a lasting first impression and serve functional purposes with a canopy, rather than tents, to cover pre-fair security screenings, as well as permanent ticket booths. The gate spelling out OHIO along 11^th Avenue will continue to serve as an historic icon, with no construction or changes to that gate.
Completion: 2025

Dairy Products Building - Interior Rendering

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Renovations to existing buildings: Dairy Products Building, Bricker Building, North Commercial Pavilion, and Solar Home (First Aid Center)

In addition to creating spaces in brand-new buildings, existing historic buildings are slated for renovation as a part of the project. This includes:

Dairy Products Building (pictured at right) – the project includes an addition to the Dairy Products Building, home of the famed butter cow display. This addition would recess kitchen, preparation space, and the butter cooler into the addition to better open up the building, as well as adding public restrooms, including a universal changing table, and updating the building with air conditioning and new amenities.
Bricker Building Restroom Addition – The project will replace a condemned restroom addition between the Gilligan Livestock Complex and the Bricker Building, creating new restrooms available for guests from both inside and outside the building, including a universal changing table.
North Commercial Pavilion – this early 1900s open air pavilion will updated paint, fans, and foundation improvements.
Solar Home – a lesser-used facility was converted into a modern First Aid Center, which opened at the 2024 Fair.

Completion: 2026 (with the exception of the First Aid Center, which opened in 2024)

Underground Infrastructure, Landscaping, Wayfinding, and more

The Ohio Expo Center has been home to the Ohio State Fair since 1886, and has expanded from its beginnings at just over 100 acres to a broadened neighborhood campus including 360 acres. With an historic campus that has grown and expanded since the 19th century, there is a need for vital underground infrastructure work to improve utilities and create more flexible outdoor opportunities. In addition, the work will be topped with beautiful landscaping and a defined navigational pathway through the grounds, featuring different materials that will help with overall flow through the facility. The underground utility work will enhance internet connectivity throughout the fairgrounds with new fiber and Wi-Fi, separate storm and sewer systems, and ensure electrical access and flexibility for food vendors and events throughout the year.
Completion: 2026

New Parking Lot

A new parking lot was created at an old armory.

Armory Parking Lot Creation

The project converted an abandoned armory and neighborhood eyesore into an 850-spot parking lot, which helped to accommodate parking for large events at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds, successfully operating during the 2024 Ohio State Fair and already having served as a parking area for a concert at Historic Crew Stadium. This will continue to benefit neighboring properties including the Ohio History Connection.

Completed: 2024