WS Chronicle

The Winston-Salem Fairgrounds has issued a request for proposal to award the naming rights for the Fairgrounds Annex. Proposals must be submitted by noon May 31.

The fairgrounds is hoping to partner with a regionally based business for a minimum of three years in order to enhance the marketing presence of the business while providing the fairgrounds with a new income stream.

Proposals should include an alternative name for the annex to better convey its role as a versatile multi-use facility. Examples listed in the RFP include such words as “forum” and “center.”

Proposals will be reviewed by the Public Assembly Facilities Commission and approved by the mayor and City Council after evaluation by city staff.

The annex has 28,000 square feet and is used for concerts, community events, trade shows and sporting events, including the home games of the Carolina Thunderbirds minor league hockey team.

The Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Annex offers almost 3 million branding impressions a year. This count includes total annual attendance of 100,000 for events in the annex; an average of 300,000 attendees to the Dixie Classic Fair, which uses the annex for its commercial exhibits; 600,000 visitors to private venues in sight of the annex, and 90,000 annual attendees at other events held at the fairgrounds. Additionally, an average of 5,200 vehicles pass by the annex on Deacon Boulevard daily, or almost 1.9 million vehicles a year, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.

The RFP is posted online at CityofWS.org/Bids.