- Written by Tammy Samuel
- Category: Event Center
- Hits: 1287

Counting on Your Support
so YOUR Fairgrounds Can Be Here for You!
Part of the scenarios we are planning for is how to survive a mandatory shut down for a period as happened for 3.5 months in Spring 2020. We were fortunate to receive $550K in federal COVID support funds (PPP, EIDL) to survive this initial shutdown with our few core, expert staff. We hope to bring back the other 90% of staff that are part-time, on call as we are able to bring more events back. Meanwhile we are running with minimal staff, have cut all costs and asked our shows to share in the increased COVID-operating costs.
Since we aren’t subsidized to stay open outside of fair time, we are working on building up a reserve fund to keep our few core, expert staff on during another zero revenue period so we can be ready to open for our community and getting back to the impact we’ve delivered for 20 years as soon as possible, including two new contracted international events in our new grounds improvements: NHSFR in July 2021 and the FMCA International RV Convention in August 2022. Want to help out?
Here’s what you can do:
- Email local officials and let them know what LEC impact you think is important to the community & you’d like them to find ways to leverage the $40-70M spend per year by out of county visitors to support LEC without raising taxes on locals. HINT: Use specific examples, numbers when you can!
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- City Council
- State Senators This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or yours!
- Listen in here as Dale Johnson with KFOR gets the full scoop from our Managing Director, Amy Dickerson aired August 5th.
- Email Congressional representatives and/or copy this list below of potential support bills for fairs and fairgrounds to let Congress know you support them as they continue to consider another round of fiscal stimulus packages this Fall ;
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- List of Potential Support Bills:
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- Second round of PPP loans/grants
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
- Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act HR 7883
- RESTART Act
- Save our Stages Act
- Consider infrastructure support funding
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- Fischer
- Sasse
- List of Potential Support Bills:
- Copy any emails you send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so we can keep your support letter on file to use when needed.
- Become or refer an advertiser/sponsor at LEC during:
• summer at the Lancaster County Super Fair
• year-round at LEC fairgrounds during the other 300 events
• in July 2021, during the NHSFR Lincoln - Be a Donor – easiest, fastest way to show support of your 501(c)(3) non-profit fairgrounds.
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- NEW – Text-to-donate: Send LANCASTER to 44-321
- Most county fairgrounds receive $20-30 per citizen, but YOUR Lancaster Event Center fairgrounds only receives $1.20 per citizen, which only supports the fairgrounds being open each summer for the county fair.
- If everyone in Lancaster County pitched in just $5, we could build a reserve fund to keep your fairgrounds' core, expert staff through the pandemic no matter what happens, and to be ready to get back to attracting ~$3M in out-of-county visitor dollars PER core team member (isn’t that an amazing number at $60M planned for 2020?) Then, we can really focus on being ready to "WOW" visitors to Lincoln's first NHSFR Lincoln in July 2021!
6. Be a Volunteer for Super Fair or NHSFR Lincoln
More information:
Curious about the impact your LEC fairgrounds has when operating at full speed pre-COVID? LEC was on track to have biggest year in its 20-year history in 2020 with 40% growth–until COVID arrived. This growth was due to two international events scheduled to use our new grounds improvements in its first 45 days opening July and August. We're happy for our community that these events are already contracted to return in July 2021 (NHSFR Lincoln) and August 2022 (FMCA International Convention & RV Rally).
Check out this fun LEC Impact Report mailer, sent to all county households in 2018, illustrating new UNL Economic Impact Study results to see LEC's annual impact supporting over 500 jobs and $1.3M in local taxes paid by out-of-county visitors at 100+ of LEC's regional/national events each year.
- Written by Megan Engel
- Category: Event Center
- Hits: 12240
Update as of 11/12/2020 - We appreciate all our show organizers and visitors continuing to "mask up" and maintain 6' distance between households which allows our activities indoors to go forward with health department approval. Your fairgrounds made slight changes to continue operating consistent with the latest Lancaster County DHM updated Nov 9 & State of NE DHM updated Nov 11 as we deal with an increase in cases throughout the state. Let's rally together to keep our community safe and support our heroes working in our Nebraska hospitals!
We’re Open
& Operating Safely for our Community
- We've been operating safely since end of June with health department approval for every event
- In fact, we're as busy as ever with rescheduled events from the spring and lots of new community events spreading out in our large spaces.
- We're operating with modifications & health department approval to ensure show visitors can feel as safe as possible in our big spaces indoors and outdoors such as:
- Face coverings required indoors at all times through our winter season
- except in designated face covering break areas while seated and actively eating and drinking
- Face covering required outdoors when 6ft distancing can't be maintained
- Increased disinfecting protocols
- Installed plexiglass, hand-sanitizer dispensers, sanitized tables/chairs signs, 6' physical distancing and more
- Working with show organizers to customize their show to follow the latest local DHMs such as spacing out the show and eliminating congregating areas
- Implemented daily health checks and face coverings for all LEC team & show staff members
- Face coverings required indoors at all times through our winter season
Click here to see what we are doing to create a safer show environment in consultation with local health authorities -- and what visitors can do to help!
Ready for Winter Tradeshow Season
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Looking for a Safer Space for your Event
Banquet Hall |
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- Details
- Written by Tammy Samuel
- Category: Event Center
- Hits: 12283
Lancaster County Youth - What is competing in the National High School Finals Rodeo like?
National High School Finals Rodeo Official Video 2019
- Written by Megan Engel
- Category: Event Center
- Hits: 9142
We are Operating Safely for our Community
- We've been operating safely since end of June with health department approval for every event.
- In fact, we've been as busy as ever with rescheduled events from the spring and lots of new community events spreading out in our large spaces this fall.
- Our expert team has become respected locally for operating with modifications & health department approval to ensure show visitors can feel as safe as possible in our big spaces indoors and outdoors.
Ready for Modified Tradeshow Season
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LEC Fairgrounds has received approval from the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department for its trade show season operating plans.
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- Details
- Written by Megan Engel
- Category: Event Center
- Hits: 7003
The National High School Finals Rodeo will be held at the Lancaster Event Center in July 2020, 2021, 2026 & 2027. For more information on NHSFR Lincoln click here.
Get Involved
Interested in being a sponsor, volunteer or trade show vendor? Click here to get involved today.