MIKE SIMONS / Tulsa World

Tulsa World

Official: No doom and gloom

Fair’s ups and downs. Despite a dip in crowd figures and eight ride-related injury accidents, the fair is called a success.

10/10/07

By Kevin Canfield, World Staff Writer

The 2007 Tulsa State Fair saw attendance dip and ride-related accidents rise.

The fair drew 987,057, down 7 percent from 2006.

There were eight ride-related accidents in ’07 compared with two in 2006.

Rick Bjorklund, Expo Square president and CEO, on Monday described the fair as a success, while acknowledging the need to improve in some areas.

When it comes to attendance figures, he said, “I don’t think we ever determine our success based on one category.”

The weather likely had something to do with the smaller crowds, Bjorklund said.

“I don’t want to say rain is going to kill us or cure us, but it certainly has an effect,” Bjorklund said.

He said one accident at the fair is too many, but added that accident numbers tell only one part of the story.

“We look at the severity of the accidents very closely,” he said.

The 2007 state fair also saw Mega Ride pass sales decline 10 percent and midway coupon sales plummet 29 percent.

Bjorklund said those figures are the ones he’s focused on.

“Any decline in revenue is certainly concerning, but our net revenues tell us how our annual financial picture looks,” he said. “And right now, there’s no doom and gloom. It’s going to be just fine.”

Bjorklund said he doesn’t believe the closing of Bell’s Amusement Park at the fairgrounds had anything to do with the lower attendance.

Bell’s had coordinated its amusement park rides with those offered on the fair’s midway until its lease expired in November 2006.

The fair board chose not to renew Bell’s lease amid concerns about its long-term viability.

After the county forced Bell’s off the fairgrounds earlier this year, some people spoke of boycotting the fair.

A July Oklahoma Poll of Tulsa County showed nearly one in four likely Tulsa County voters surveyed said the the Bell’s affair and the city’s controversial decision to annex the fairgrounds might affect their attendance at the fair.

Bjorklund acknowledged, however, that it is possible the absence of the amusement park affected Mega Ride pass and midway coupon sales.

“It could have an effect, certainly,” he said.

Robby Bell, president of the closed amusement park, said he was certain the loss of Bell’s affected this year’s fair numbers.

“I think next year will be worse,” he said.

Bell also dismissed the weather as a factor in the attendance figures.

“That argument does not hold any water at all,” he said. “I would have considered the 2007 fair a very good fair in regards to the weather.”

The state Department of Labor reported last week that of the eight ride-related incidents, five were caused by operator error; two were caused by patron error; and one was caused by mechanical error.

Tina Wells, spokeswoman for EMSA, said paramedics responded to 201 calls for assistance at this year’s fair, with 72 people transported to area hospitals.

Eleven people were treated with ride-related injuries, with six transported to area hospitals, she said.

Last year, EMSA responded to 258 calls and transported 55 people to area hospitals.

The figures were not all negative at the fair this year.

Attendance, while down, was the second highest in the past five years.

The Junior Livestock Auction raised a record $510,000 and the Disney on Ice Show, Princess Wishes, sold out every night.

In addition, Bjorklund said, entries and exhibitors to the livestock shows increased 10 percent over last year.

© The Tulsa World