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Hamfest will stay * this year
Joy Scott
Shelby Star Staff Writer



SHELBY * The marriage between Hamfest and the Cleveland County
Fairgrounds is intact * at least for this year.

The two parties signed a contract Tuesday morning, but neither is
disclosing the negotiated terms.

“The fair and I have decided not to give it to the media or anybody
else,” said Hamfest Chairman John Ledford. “Each party was satisfied,
I think.”

In an earlier interview, Edmondson said the fair proposed that Hamfest
pay $20,000 this year. Last year it paid between $14,000 and $15,000,
he said.

Edmondson told The Star Tuesday that the fee settled on for this year
is less than $20,000 but more than Hamfest paid last year. It’s not
entirely based on the new fee structure, he said.

“They gave some, and we gave a lot,” he said. “The main thing is I had
the Hamfest at heart and the community at heart as we negotiated.”

Hamfest is a 48-year-old Cleveland County event, sponsored by Shelby
Amateur Radio Club.

For the past 25 years, Hamfest operators have rented the fairgrounds
for a two-week period leading up to Labor Day weekend. Hundreds of
attendees arrive early and camp out.

Having Hamfest at the fairgrounds this year became questionable after
the Cleveland County Fair Association implemented a new leasing fee
structure.

Initially, Hamfest operators wanted to rent the fairgrounds for the
same price as last year so that organizers could notify Hamfest
vendors a year in advance of the changes.

Ledford said Tuesday he doesn’t know how the contract will affect next
year’s event. Fair Manager Bill Edmondson said it wouldn’t affect next
year’s Hamfest.

The contract is valid from Aug. 20 to Sept. 4, he said.

Despite the negotiations for Hamfest, the new fee structure is still
in place and won’t affect future lease contracts, Edmondson said. He
said he would negotiate on an individual basis.

“The fair board has given me some privileges to negotiate certain
events, especially when it has a huge economic impact on the area,” he
said.

Operators of Hamfest will spread the word to fans about the decision
through its Web site, advertisements in amateur radio magazines and
brochures to club members, Ledford said.

Called “the granddaddy of them all,” Hamfest brings thousands of
amateur radio enthusiasts from around the country to Shelby to swap
radio equipment and socialize.

On the Web:

http://www.shelbyhamfest.org

http://www.clevelandcountyfair.com





Hamfest negotiations timeline

January * Cleveland County Fair Association implements new leasing
structure

March 12 * Hamfest Chairman John Ledford says the event won’t be held
at the fairgrounds because neither party could agree on a price for
this year. Afterward, Hamfest received several offers from venues
inside and outside Cleveland County.

March 17 * The fair makes a fourth offer to Hamfest, according to Fair
Manager Bill Edmondson.

March 29 * Hamfest and fair officials meet for a few minutes * “Just
time to sign the contract,” said Hamfest Chair John Ledford.