It’s hard to believe that after all of the improvements made at the new York State Fairgrounds over the past few years, there’s still another structure that could be a candidate for massive renovation. 
The concrete racing stables, located near the New York Experience park at the western end of the grounds has State Fair leaders intrigued.
“There are some plans being floated to start to develop this part of the property to make it tie in a little better,” Director Troy Waffner told State Fair Hound. “It’s a beautiful building. For not having had a lot of money put into it over the years, it’s structurally sound. The architecture is still strong, the foundation is still strong.”
Historically, the V-shaped complex was used by owners of harness racing horses competing on the grounds’ dirt track, especially during the glory days of the Syracuse Mile. 
With the track now a memory, needs have changed, though some horses are still stabled in the building under rental agreements.
If left to the imagination, it’s easy to think of possible uses for the stables, though extensive cleanup and remodeling would certainly be necessary. Proximity to the emerging prominence of the Experience Stage could come into play as a concert-support structure.
It could remain a home for horses, replacing some of the dilapidated barns used by 4-H participants. Adding a visitors’ center would be a great way to attract horse enthusiasts, who are often banned from the main horse barn.
Maybe that end of the grounds could benefit from a building to host vendors, restaurants, exhibits or performance venues, though the Expo Center has filled a lot of that need. But any way you look at it, this structure very likely has a future as part of the Fair. 
“If you add it up, it’s actually more square footage than our Exposition Center,” Waffner told The Hound. “The rotunda is absolutely beautiful.”
It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds in terms of renovating the stables to bring them into use as a bookend on the Fair’s western perimeter.