ALLIANT ENERGY CENTER REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE NAMED

March 28, 2019
Sharon Corrigan, County Board Chair 608.333.2285
County Board

Panel includes community leaders, elected officials

 

Buoyed by a proposed $30 million in state funding, a committee to oversee redevelopment of the Alliant Energy Center is quickly taking shape.

 

Dane County Board chair Sharon Corrigan and County Executive Joe Parisi on Monday unveiled the names of a 13-member panel that will meet regularly to guide the project forward. The first meeting is scheduled for April 15.

 

Members of the panel include:

  • Mark Clarke, Director of the Alliant Energy Center

  • Ruben Anthony, appointed by the County Executive

  • Terese Berceau, appointed by the County Executive

  • Supervisor Shelia Stubbs, appointed by the County Board Chair

  • Supervisor Sharon Corrigan, appointed by the County Board Chair

  • Alder Sheri Carter, the Madison Common Council alder who represents the area

  • Heather Stouder, Madison’s Planning Division Director, designee of the Mayor

  • Tom DeChant, a resident of the neighborhood, appointed by the County Board Chair

  • Deb Archer, President & CEO of Destination Madison

  • Brewer Stouffer, a member appointed by Destination Madison

  • Gary Wolter, a member appointed by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce

  • Rob Crain, a member appointed by the Madison Area Sports Commission

  • Supervisor Dave Ripp, a member of the Public Works and Transportation Committee appointed by the committee chair

 

Governor Tony Evers recently announced he was including $30 million in his 2019-2020 capital budget toward a major expansion of the Exhibition Hall. The idea is to create a full-service convention center that could serve the entire upper Midwest.

 

“Governor Evers’ announcement only makes the work of this commitment even more important,” said Corrigan (District 26, Middleton).  “I’m really excited about the talented people who have agreed to help us as we move this project from the planning stages to reality.”

 

An expanded Exhibition Hall is the first step in a planned redevelopment of the entire 164-acre county-owned Alliant Energy Center campus. A master plan previously approved by the Dane County Board calls for $305 million in public and private investment to create a walkable, environmentally-friendly destination with meeting space, hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues.

 

“I look forward to seeing the Alliant Energy Center Redevelopment Committee begin work in April,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “The Alliant Energy Center is the premier venue in the country for agricultural shows, and investment in our Exhibition Hall would help us keep pace with the shows eager to grow into more space.”

 

The first phase of the Exhibition Hall expansion is estimated to cost $77.4 million and would add 50,000 square feet of flexible space that could be subdivided to meet the demands of specific users. An upper level would provide a kitchen, service corridors and storage space for events of varying sizes.

 

The Exhibition Hall portion of the redevelopment alone is projected to create nearly 650 new jobs and generate some $25 million new state income taxes over 20 years, according to estimates from Governor Evers.

 

The Alliant Energy Center already hosts the World Dairy Expo, the Dane County Fair, the Brat Fest and CrossFit games and the expansion is expected to draw even more large events.

 

“We know there are tremendous opportunities for the Alliant Energy Center campus so now it’s just a question of getting down to the hard work of putting it all together,” said Corrigan.