MADISON, Wis. — Dane County is offering the World Dairy Expo a 10-year contract extension to keep the agricultural expo in Madison in the wake of the pandemic.
The proposal would compensate the World Dairy Expo for economic losses suffered because off the COVID-19 pandemic. Dane County Executive Joe Parisi made the announcement Wednesday.
“World Dairy Expo is a long-standing partner of Dane County and this contract extension reflects our commitment to our farmers, our agricultural heritage, and this event,” Parisi said. “Our partnership has withstood decades and a global pandemic won’t change Wisconsin’s love for this event and what it means for our economy.”
The 10-year extension would keep the World Dairy Expo at the Alliant Energy Center through 2030. The 2021 and 2022 expos would be hosted by Dane County at no cost to World Dairy, according to a news release.
Dane County officials said current vaccination rates and roughly $500,000 in upgrades to the Alliant Energy Center’s air handling units mean the 2021 expo should be able to safely happen.
World Dairy previously partnered with the county in 2014 to build the $24 million New Holland Pavilions, which are now considered premier agricultural exhibition centers in the Midwest.
The contract must be approved by the World Dairy Expo Board before the County and Board of Supervisors can ratify it.
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