Transformation of the New York State Fairgrounds
Syracuse, New York
In 2015 the New York State (NYS) Governor’s Office announced an unprecedented $50 million investment for the revitalization of the New York State Fairgrounds. The NYS Office of General Services (OGS) and the Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) engaged MJ to complete this sweeping transformation to the year-round exhibition center and home of the Great New York State Fair.
This project represents the most significant transformation that the fairgrounds have undergone since the fair first opened at its current home in 1890. The goal of this project was to enhance the fairgrounds as a premier year-round and multi-use facility to attract more events and visitors from across the State and beyond.
The team worked through a condensed planning, design and construction period to undertake the comprehensive transformation, which includes a new main gate, expanded midway, new RV park, utility upgrades and enhanced landscaping. Project completion was vital in advance of the grounds’ first major exhibition: the Syracuse Nationals, the largest car show in the Northeast attracting nearly 90,000 visitors nationwide.
