Sandhills Global Event Center Explained

The Sandhills Global Event Center, known as the Lancaster Event Center until December 2023, is a public non-profit fairgrounds-style event complex located in Lincoln, Nebraska owned and operated by the Lancaster County Agricultural Society. It was originally built to provide a permanent home for the Lancaster County Fair and other community events.

It has hosted farm shows, trade shows, tractor pulls, swap meets, 4-H club meetings, Lincoln City Libraries book sales, and rodeos.

All buildings are multi-use, with no fixed seating, for people and animal events by converting dirt arenas to carpeted space each winter when all buildings are used year-round for over 320 events. In 2014, it held over 270 events with approximately 558,765 people attending.^[1] Two hundred campsites with electric and multiple asphalt parking lots have been phased in over the years as well.

History

The Lancaster County Agricultural Society, which manages the Lancaster Event Center, was founded in 1867 as the Lancaster County Agricultural & Horticultural Society^[2] and re-formed as the Lancaster County Agricultural Society in 1870 as a separate, county-level subdivision under Nebraska law to help promote agriculture.

The Lancaster County Board supported the original two sets of bonds to build out the Lancaster Event Center's first two phases, and encouraged the Lancaster County Ag Society to keep the fairgrounds open for events year-round.

Phase 1 (2001)

In 2001, the fairgrounds opened the first of three planned phases with an initial price tag of $12 million:

• Multi-Purpose Arena, now used for horse shows and trade and spectator shows
• Pavilion 1, multi-use building used for trade shows, overflow horse stalls (which became the main livestock barn for the annual fair)
• Pavilion 2, horse stall barn with warm up arena (becomes trade show space for annual farm show)
• The Lincoln Room, a large reception space (home of static exhibits during the fair)
• A medium reception space called Exhibit Hall (home of small animal shows & static competitions during the fair)
• Show offices and cafes/kitchens throughout

Phase 2 (2009)

Phase 2 in 2009 brought two additional buildings with a $10 million expansion:

• Pavilion 3, an arena and cattle back pens used for horse shows including many that incorporate cattle such as roping (becomes trade show space during farm show)
• Pavilion 4, the largest building with 125,000-square feet including a dirt arena and a large concrete apron for display space.^[3] This second arena is now known as the Amy Countryman Arena in Pavilion 4 with capacity for theater seating to 12,000.^[4] (used for horse shows, spectator shows and trade shows)
• Business Center which includes 3 meeting rooms and the main cafe/kitchen called the Good Times Grill.

Phase 2.5 (2014)

In 2014, the Lancaster County Ag Society hired a new Managing Director, Amy Dickerson.^[5] In 2015, the Lancaster Event Center began a multi-year relaunch of its operations and completed $2.7 million in remodeling/upgrades with proceeds from re-financing its remaining Phase 2 bonds which saved tax payers approx. $700,000 in interest over the life of the bonds. These projects were overseen by the Lancaster County Fairgrounds Joint Public Agency (JPA) which consists of members from the Lancaster County Agricultural Society and the Lancaster County Board.

This relaunch was known as Phase 2.5, and major improvements included:

• Improved lighting in parking lots and multiple pavilions with brightness and energy-saving benefits
• Upgraded flooring in many people spaces and trade show carpeting
• Remodel main building entrances, main cafe facades
• Installation of state of art WiFi internet system throughout buildings and grounds to increase speed, capacity to match event growth, technology changes
• Digital screen with photo, video capability added to street sign to better communicate weekly events
• White "ranch-style" fencing to upgrade visitor appeal as well as provide crowd control
• Upgraded web site with automatically updated event calendar from event planning software

In summer 2020, the center hosted the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) and the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) International Convention and RV Expo.^[6]

2017–2023

Starting in 2017, the Lancaster Event Center began grounds improvements set to open July 2020 to add:

• water to the existing 200 campsites
• add 1100 campsites with water/electric service to create a national event campground 1-2 times per year and serve as overflow parking year-round
• an expanded outdoor multi-use arena with a new covered grandstand with 3300-person capacity

These improvements were funded by $7 million in lodging visitor tax grants in large part with cost-effective self-perform labor by the Lancaster Event Center staff.

These grounds improvements on the undeveloped east side of the fairgrounds were designed initially to attract the National High School Finals Rodeo to Lincoln, Nebraska after a decade in two Wyoming facilities. Lancaster Event Center was chosen in April 2017 to host the National High School Finals Rodeo in July 2020 & 2021 and in a subsequent bid process in January 2019 a return visit in July 2026 & 2027 was awarded as well.^[7]

Late in 2019, the FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association) International Convention & RV Expo in August 2020 chose to bring their annual convention to Lincoln bringing over $8–12 million of economic impact after a location in Syracuse, New York fell through at the last minute.^[8]

Rebranding to Sandhills Global Event Center (2023)

In December 2023, the Lancaster Event Center was renamed the Sandhills Global Event Center, as the result of a $7.125 million sale of naming rights to Sandhills Global for 15 years.^[9]

Lancaster County Fair

The Lancaster Event Center fairgrounds opened on February 1, 2001 and is the home of the Lancaster County Fair which became known as the Lancaster County Super Fair when extended to 10 days in 2010 upon the departure of the State Fair to Grand Island. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2020.

Economic impact

In 2018, the University of Nebraska Bureau of Business Research completed an economic impact study showing outside of county visitors to Lancaster Event Center events brought nearly $40 million in annual impact.^{[10] [11]}

Awards

The Sandhills Global Event Center has been recognized both locally and regionally:

• State of Nebraska Tourism Development Award for Ag Tourism (2018)^[12]
• Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Tourism Development Award (2018) ^[13]
• Lincoln Journal Star Inspire Award Finalist (2018) ^[14]
• Bullfighters of America (BOA) Indoor Event of the Year (2019)

External links

• • Lancaster County Super Fair

40.8536°N -96.6019°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Lancaster Event Center seeks $44 million expansion, upgrades. Jordan Pascale. 4 May 2012. Lincoln Journal-Star. 17 Dec 2013.
2. Web site: Lancaster County Agricultural and Horticultural Society Records, 1877-1879. LancasterHistory. en-US. 2020-02-16.
3. Web site: Lancaster Event Center expansion plans advance . . Jean Ortiz . 3 Sep 2007 . 17 Dec 2013.
4. Web site: Officials ponder future of Lancaster Event Center . Lincoln Journal-Star . Jordan Pascale . 17 Nov 2013 . 17 Dec 2013.
5. Web site: New manager digs in to grow Event Center; more projects planned. Reist. Margaret. JournalStar.com. en. 2020-02-16.
6. Web site: National RV event coming to Lancaster Event Center in 2020. Olberding. Matt. JournalStar.com. en. 2020-02-16.
7. Web site: National High School Finals Rodeo to return to Lincoln in 2026, 2027. Release. Press. www.1011now.com. english. 2020-02-16.
8. Web site: Year out from rodeo, improvements full steam ahead at Event Center: 'Lincoln's never done anything like this'. Johnson. Riley. JournalStar.com. en. 2020-02-15.
9. Web site: Lancaster Event Center officially becomes Sandhills Global Event Center . . Lincoln, Nebraska . 2023-12-02 . 2024-03-08.
10. Web site: Lancaster Event Center has $40 million economic impact annually, report finds. Hicks. Nancy. JournalStar.com. en. 2020-02-15.
11. Web site: Lancaster Event Center. Samuel. Tammy. lancastereventcenter.org. en-gb. 2020-02-16.
12. Web site: 2018 Nebraska Tourism Industry Award winners announced. VisitNebraska.com. en. 2020-02-16.
13. Web site: 2018 Business Award Winners • Strictly Business Magazine Lincoln. 2018-10-02. Strictly Business Magazine Lincoln. en-US. 2020-02-16.
14. Web site: 2018 Inspire Awards Finalists and Winners. Issuu. en. 2020-02-16.