No storm shelter for new central Indiana fair grandstand

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. — A proposed storm shelter is being dropped from plans for replacing a central Indiana county’s fairgrounds grandstand destroyed by arson last year.

Shelby County officials say cuts in federal grant funding meant the fair board was likely going to have to foot about half of the estimated $1.2 million cost for the shelter.

County emergency management director Mike Schantz tells The Shelbyville News that all those involved supported the idea of a fairgrounds shelter, but the cost became too much.

The fairgrounds’ 133-year-old grandstand was one of few similar wooden structures left in the state.

Fair Association President David Rush says he still hopes a new grandstand will be built before the 2014 fair even though a settlement hasn’t been reached with its insurance company.