MADISON, WIS. – World Dairy Expo has pledged financial support of the pending new Alliant Energy Center (AEC) pavilion building project. World Dairy Expo is collaborating with public and private partners to fund the new project, including Dane County, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WIDATCP) and Midwest Horse Fair. The official announcement was made Wednesday, June 19 during a Dane County press conference at the annual Expo site, the Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
click here to view a image of the new Pavilion
The Expo Board of Directors has agreed to be a financial partner. On June 7, the Expo board approved to contribute $3 million towards the AEC project. Projected total cost of the new pavilion project is $18 million. World Dairy Expo has also signed a new commitment to call the AEC home for many years to come.
Designs for the new buildings were unveiled Wednesday. Once complete, the facilities will total nearly 290,000 square feet and house 2,600 head of cattle. The facilities would replace aging barns on the grounds – some of which date back to the 1960’s – and should eliminate the need for temporary livestock housing during Expo.
“World Dairy Expo is proud to invest in this project, which, will enable our event and others to continue to thrive for many years to come,” remarked Scott Bentley, Expo General Manager. “Expo is very excited about the prospect of the new buildings which will mean improved cow comfort for the 2,600 head of North America’s world-class cattle that travel to Madison each year to compete.”
World Dairy Expo is an international event with tremendous economic impact on Dane County and the surrounding region. Last year’s event resulted in approximately $19 million of direct spending in Madison, with a regional economic impact of $50 million. Last year’s attendance at the five-day event exceeded 70,000, with 2,950 registered international guests from 95 countries. World Dairy Expo 2013, themed “Center of the Dairy Universe,” will be held in the current barns and facilities October 1 through October 5.
The agreements will be introduced at the Dane County Board of Supervisor’s June 20th meeting, and are subject to final approvals at the County and State levels.