The annual World Dairy Expo may be in the market for a new home.
In light of Wisconsin's $1.1 billion budget deficit, Gov. Scott McCallum revealed his Budget Reform Act of 2002 Tuesday to the state Legislature, under which he plans to stop state payments to Dane County for financing the renovation of the Exhibition Hall of the Alliant Energy Center.
The World Dairy Expo has been held at the Center since the mid 1990s, but county officials expressed concern that they may have to increase the price of renting out the center to compensate for the loss of state funding, which may out price conventions like the Expo.
Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk said in a statement Wednesday \[the Reform Act] will completely eliminate Dane County's shared revenue payment of almost $5.5 million in this year.""
Included in such cuts would be an elimination of the state's partnership with Dane County to ensure the largest assembly of the world's dairy industry, the World Dairy Expo, remains in Wisconsin.
According to Falk's spokesperson, Sharyn Wisniewski, Dane County revamped the Expo Center in the early 1990s and expanded it to 80,000 square feet by building the Exposition Hall in order to handle the fast-growing World Dairy Expo.
In 1994, former Gov. Tommy Thompson pledged $240,000 a year to the county over 20 years to fund the $20 million undertaking.
""We agreed to enter a long-term loan based on a commitment from the state [to finance the project],"" Wisniewski said. ""It concerns us in Dane County that the governor would walk away from a commitment.""
The governor's office was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Bill DiCarlo, director of the Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, said the World Dairy Expo is the Alliant Center's largest client and the biggest convention in Dane County.
According to Wisniewski, the World Dairy Expo brings around $100 million a year to Madison businesses and attracts well over 60,000 visitors from all over the world.
Howard Johnson Reservations Manager Charles Eggen said losing the biggest event of the year ""would be a significant blow to the Madison tourism industry.""
Losing the World Dairy Expo may also affect Madison residents directly involved in the event. UW-Madison junior and cattle breeder Laurie Winkelman said she has been working and exhibiting at the expo for years and does not want it to relocate.
""It's very convenient for Wisconsin breeders,"" she said. ""It's nice to have a national show in our backyard.\
