Long-term Funding & Technical Reference Information
- NHSFR Lincoln 2021 Economic Impact Report Fact Sheet
- Full 49-page NHSFR Lincoln 2021 Economic Impact Report
- 2017 Economic Impact Study - 50% growth since this report's release!
Our Impact
Major Events
- 300+ events annually—200 local, 120+ regional/national/international
- Nebraska’s largest county fair – 120K visitors over 10 days
- 2nd largest indoor ag show—1700 ag experts from 27 states & Canada attract 20K ag producers from 5 states
- 125+ horse show event days
- 75+ trade show/sale event days
- 20+ motorsports events (indoor & outdoor
- 80+ ag business & ag education events
- 150+ non-profit event days
- Won four years of World’s largest rodeo - National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) vs. venues nationwide –2020 (canceled), 2021, 2026, 2027
- World’s largest RV event: Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) International RV Convention (postponed from 2020 to 2022) with 1000-2000 RVs
Our Annual Economic Impact
- Nebraska’s 3rd largest out-of-state visitor attraction
- 67% of visitors at 120 regional/national events from outside of county/state
- Draw visitors from 40+ states annually
- $50 -60 Million economic visitor impact per year for Lancaster County & Nebraska
- LEC's visitor spending adds 700 full-time equivalent jobs-majority off grounds
- 98% of 1623 participant families from out of state at NHSFR (43 states, 5 Canadian provinces, Mexico, Australia & New Zealand)
Our Visitors' Incremental Local Tax Impact Each Year (est. as of 2021):
- $2.8 Million State of NE sales & lodging taxes per year
- $1.4 Million in City of Lincoln sales & occupation taxes
- $300K in Lancaster County lodging tax
Our Local Community Impact Each Year:
- Southeast NE’s largest community & emergency center able to serve both humans, pets & livestock
- 69% of county citizens visit 1 or more times per year (46% 2+ times/year)
- Home to 20+ local community groups to carry out their own missions through regular events
- e.g. monthly blood drives, election site, fundraisers
Recent Service Stories:
Our Impact Growth Plans
Current Unique Exhibit Structures with Ag focus
- 10 acres under roof including 3300-person shaded grandstand
- Convenient parking for for 5000+ cars and oversize vehicles (trucks/trailers)
- 10th largest event center campground (1300 campsites)
- Capacity and equipment for 3,000+ equine/livestock stalls and pens
- Center of USA location and easy "on and off" I-80 attractive to national events
- Known for world class arena footing and Nebraska-friendly operations experts
- Largest banquet hall in the county with full on-site cafes, catering services
- Arena buildings convert to carpeted winter trade and spectator show spaces
The Need for Capital Improvements
Like most Nebraska county fairgrounds, the actual facility repair, replacement, and improvement costs are real, pressing, and long ago outstripped the available, legacy tax funding system.
- 10 acres under roof including grandstand with multi-use outdoor arena
- 55 acres of campground
- 30 acres paved and 13 acres gravel parking/driveways
- 46 acres of grass parking
- 14 acres of ditches/drainage
Phase 3 of Master Plan
Final build-out of the LEC Fairgrounds envisioned 22 years ago.
Our Story
What is the Lancaster County Agricultural Society?
Created by the County Agricultural Society Act, the Lancaster County Agricultural Society is a nonprofit dedicated to “the improvement of agriculture, industry, homes, and communities of the state.” Ag Societies have been serving the state of Nebraska since the first years of statehood over 150 years ago by building and maintaining county fairgrounds and running annual county fairs for their youth and communities.
Nonprofit Fairgrounds with 22year service & growth track record
The Lancaster County Ag Society opened your Lancaster Event Center Fairgrounds in 2001 as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization to be home of the Lancaster County Fair as its needs outgrew borrowed buildings on the former State Fairgrounds.
The Lancaster County Ag Society benchmarked 20 national fairgrounds to guide the original 3-phase master plan and gets compliments on the functionality of the design to this day from visitors around the country.
Mission & Vision
Our Mission is three-fold:
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Provide a wonderful, welcoming and fun experience at a great value.
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Share experiences in a unique venue that showcases the agricultural nature of Lancaster County and State of Nebraska.
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Contribute greatly to the county's youth, culture and economy to our county and state.
Our Vision is to be a leading ag event-focused event center not only regionally, but also nationally.
Current Funding & Growth Over 22 Years
Lancaster County Ag Society only receives approximately $135,000 in property tax support annually for maintenance of the county fairgrounds which receives heavy use each year from 300 events while bringing up to $70 million in incremental spend from out-of-county/state visitors.
The county fairgrounds is currently completing fundraising for a $10 million infrastructure modernization it hopes to kick off in the fall of 2023. Visitor amenities high on the list to be improved include lighting, digital signage, restrooms, kitchen capacity, flooring, drainage, driveway capacity and parking lots.
For over 22 years and counting, the LEC Fairgrounds has grown to be nationally recognized and is now Nebraska’s busiest and fastest-growing fairgrounds.
The Lancaster County Board, a separate county-level political subdivision, partnered with the Lancaster County Ag Society to form the Lancaster County Fairgrounds JPA to issue bonds to build and remodel the Lancaster Event Center Fairgrounds over phases since 2001. Most recently, the County Board, with recommendations from its Visitors Promotion Committee (VPC), has been a principal partner in ongoing improvements of LEC Fairgrounds through ongoing visitor lodging tax grants to attract out-of-county/state visitors like the National High School Finals Rodeo and Family Motor Coach Association—two international events booked in first 45 days after opening of latest grounds improvements (expanded Outdoor Grandstand Arena, new National Event Campground) funded by two generous VPC grants.