New Management for Exhibition Park
Agriculture and Marketing Minister Ernest Fage and Economic Development Minister Gordon Balser announced today that Trade Centre Ltd., operators of the World Trade and Convention Centre (WTCC), will be assuming management responsibilities for Exhibition Park just outside Halifax.
In making the announcement, Mr. Fage said the management transfer is good news for the Atlantic Winter Fair and Exhibition Park. The winter fair is the largest agricultural fair in the Atlantic provinces and the event most often associated with Exhibition Park. Until today, Exhibition Park and the Atlantic Winter Fair have been operated by a volunteer board of directors.
"The board of directors has worked very hard and been asked to stay on and continue to plan for and manage the fair," said Mr. Fage. "Today's move will allow them to focus solely on realizing the fair's full potential and build on its reputation as the prime agricultural showcase in this region, while the team at the World Trade Centre can bring their marketing and management expertise to expand business at the park.
"It is important to me that the Atlantic Winter Fair remain and flourish at Exhibition Park," he added. "I hope everyone will visit the fair this weekend and next to see for themselves what a great event is it for Nova Scotia."
"Exhibition Park is a tremendous economic asset for Nova Scotia," said Mr. Balser. "The team at the World Trade and Convention Centre have the management and marketing experience to make the most of it."
Trade Centre Ltd. is a provincially owned Crown corporation and operates the WTCC in Halifax under the direction of its own private sector board of directors. Trade Centre Ltd. has increased business at the WTCC by 26 per cent, and profits by more than 140 per cent, over the past five years.
"We are looking forward to working with the Atlantic Winter Fair board of directors to help the fair reach its full potential at the park," said Fred MacGillivray, WTCC president and CEO. "The park is a terrific complement to the World Trade Centre and Metro Centre complex. We see a lot of national and international opportunities for the facility."
The park's board of directors was informed of the management transfer this morning during a meeting with Mr. Fage.