Our Town Grand Island: The importance of Fonner Park

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KOLN) - Fonner Park has served as a cornerstone of Grand Island’s tourism economy for decades, evolving from a horse racing venue into a major entertainment and agricultural complex.

Gus Fonner donated the land years ago for an agricultural improvement society to host the Hall County Fair and other agricultural events, according to Brad Mellema, Grand Island Director of Tourism. He says Fonner Park is celebrating 72 years this year.

“Thoroughbred horse racing was the very first major activity all those years and it’s never gone away,” Mellema said. “Eight to ten thousand people will show up on a busy Saturday to watch Thoroughbred horse racing.”

The campus underwent its first major transformation in 2006 with construction of the Heartland Events Center, a municipal arena with approximately 6,000 seats.

In 2010, the Nebraska Legislature approved moving the Nebraska State Fair to Grand Island. Seven major new structures were built to accommodate the fair. “The fair is an anchor event among many, but it has been an anchor event and an identity event for us,” Mellema said.

The Grand Island Casino and Resort opened after Nebraska law changed to allow casinos next to licensed horse racing tracks. “It’s been a tremendous asset to our community,” Mellema said.

In addition to the livestock shows you’ll find each year at the Nebraska State Fair, and what you’ll find at Ak-Sar-Ben each September, Fonner Park hosts many other livestock shows throughout the year. Junior national shows bring multiple breeds to the venue for week-long events. “We get people from across the country and it is huge business for our community and truly an identifier for Grand Island,” Mellema said.

Fonner Park and the Nebraska State Fair received funding through ARPA programs for facility upgrades, including parking lot improvements with concrete construction and reconfigured layouts.

Mellema describes Fonner Park as the big V8 engine of the tourism economy for Grand Island. “When this campus is full of activities and people, our whole city is full,” he said. “And our job is to keep that engine running.”

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