The Minnesota State Fair Breaks Ground on the AgStar Arena
Construction on AgStar Arena will begin after the 2011 State Fair - replacing the current Judging Arena
MANKATO, Minn. (Aug. 31, 2011) – The Minnesota State Fair Foundation along with AgStar Financial Services, a value-added financial services company owned by its client-stockholders, held a groundbreaking ceremony Sat., Aug. 27 for the AgStar Arena at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The new facility is a livestock and equine arena that replaces the current Judging Arena, a wooden structure that withstood decades of storm damage and use.
The ceremony featured comments from Ag Commissioner, Dave Frederickson, AgStar President and CEO Paul DeBriyn and Chair of the Minnesota State Fair Foundation Development Committee, Mitch Davis. They, along with many other influential leaders in this project, were on-site to break ground on the new arena with a ceremonial straw toss.
The AgStar Arena, a 27,000 square foot agricultural education facility, will be used during the State Fair by 4-H, FFA and State Fair open class exhibitors and seasonally for livestock and equine shows. It will give the Fair’s 1.8 million annual visitors an opportunity to learn about agriculture and the hard working people who feed, clothe and fuel the world. Construction on AgStar Arena begins after the 2011 State Fair and is expected to be substantially completed by April 2012.
“This project really fits with what we’re about at AgStar and we’re really proud to be a part of this project,” said DeBriyn at the ceremony.
“To us, this project isn’t just about our clients and our stockholders. It’s really an opportunity to provide education to people who are removed from the family farm,” said DeBriyn. “This partnership, along with other agricultural attractions at the fair, gives us the opportunity to provide ag education to the consumer; something all of us in the ag community need to do.”
View a video from the ceremony here.
About AgStar:
AgStar Financial Services, ACA, headquartered in Mankato, Minn., employs more than 600 full-time team members. The company is part of the national Farm Credit System and has a public mission to serve 69 counties in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. AgStar’s industry specialization, client segments and market delivery systems result in diversification nationwide. The company has expertise in the corn, soybean, swine, dairy and bio-energy industries. AgStar has developed successful programs in loans, leases, crop insurance, tax services, accounting, consulting and rural home mortgages. As a value-added financial services cooperative, AgStar allocates patronage dividends to its more than 14,000 stockholders. Visit www.AgStar.com for more information.
Contact: Heather Leiferman
Senior Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Heather.Leiferman@AgStar.com
507-529-2087
Kay Cady
Executive Director, Minnesota State Fair Foundation
651-632-2630
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