4 November 2023
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) – The Kansas State Fair board will be meeting later this month to discuss the future of the dirt racetrack.
The purpose of this meeting is to hear proposals about potential future promotions of the facility and to hear public comments regarding the future of the facility.
According to the Save Our Track coalition, this is the first opportunity the public has been scheduled to speak before the board regarding this matter.
The board will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 5 p.m. at the Encampment Building in Dillion Hall on the Kansas State Fairgrounds.
In November 2022, fair leaders decided to remove the dirt racetracks at the Kansas State Fairgrounds by the end of 2023 without public notice. This left many racers and residents upset.
The track has been at the fairgrounds for 110 years and takes up about 17-18 acres of land. However, it is only used for a few days a year. The lack of use is a driving force for the board wanting it removed.
Back in August, Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz said that the plan is to transform the area into an entertainment district that could feature a permanent stage as well as a space for dirt events.