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County Executive's Office

County, Partners, Break Ground on New Holland Pavilions at the Alliant Energy Center

April 11, 2014
Casey Slaughter Becker, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 843-8858
County Executive

Historic Partnerships Make State-of-the-Art Expansion Reality
 

The county and its project partners have broken ground on the New Holland Pavilions at the Alliant Energy Center (AEC), Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced today.

 

The expansion – 290,000 square feet of state-of-the-art multi-use space – will replace the AEC’s aging barn facilities, and has already strengthened the center’s reputation as a quality host for events with significant regional and statewide economic impact.

 

“The New Holland Pavilions have yet to be built and they have already transformed the outlook for the Alliant Energy Center – strengthening our partnerships with long-time customers, enticing customers to return, and attracting new customers that have never called Dane County home before,” said Parisi. “All of this adds up to significant regional economic impact, and none of this could have happened without the help of our dedicated partners – you can truly achieve more when you work together.”

 

At the conclusion of this year’s Midwest Horse Fair, the backdrop for Friday’s groundbreaking, the AEC’s aging barn facilities will be demolished to make room for construction of the new pavilions.

 

The New Holland Pavilions project will create an estimated 200 local jobs and is anticipated to be complete in time for the 2014 World Dairy Expo in October.

 

The 164-acre Alliant Energy Center and its facilities, including the Exhibition Hall and Veterans Memorial Coliseum, has been host to a diverse line-up of trade shows, entertainment acts, community expos, and world-renowned agriculture events such as the World Dairy Expo and the Midwest Horse Fair. 

 

The AEC is estimated to provide nearly $88 million in direct local economic impact.

 

 “Alliant Energy is proud to be a partner with Dane County and have our company name represented by a true regional gem – the Alliant Energy Center,” said Patricia Kampling, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer for Alliant Energy. “The New Holland Pavilions at the Alliant Energy Center will help make one of the best facilities even better.”

 

Parisi and his administration worked early in his tenure as County Executive to build the historic public/private partnerships necessary to make the $24 million project a reality.

 

In the time that followed, Parisi’s administration secured $9 million from the State of Wisconsin with the help of Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Ben Brancel. Long-time AEC partners World Dairy Expo and Midwest Horse Fair/Wisconsin Horse Council will contribute $3 million and $1 million to the project, respectively.

 

“The collaboration of Governor Walker, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and the private sector has created a new opportunity for Dane County to attract international exhibitions,” said DATCP Secretary Ben Brancel. “This cooperation and coordination show what can be done when efforts are made to work together.”

 

Earlier this fall, Parisi’s administration negotiated a multi-million dollar naming rights deal for the facilities with New Holland Agriculture & Construction, and a new contract with long-time caterer Centerplate that included a $1 million contribution to the pavilions project.

 

The project cost includes the price of the construction contract, a construction contingency fund, and new stalling that will be used in the pavilions after the project has been completed.

 

Last year World Dairy Expo and the Midwest Horse Fair also signed new multi-year contracts that will make Dane County home to these signature events for many years to come. World Dairy Expo’s contract is for 10 years, with a five-year option. The Midwest Horse Fair’s contract is for 20 years.

 

The promise of the new pavilions has helped the AEC secure a number of new proposals for prestigious shows that have never been to Dane County before.

 

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