North Carolina Governor Josh Stein chose not to have North Carolina participate in the Great American State Fair. He state that the cost of $100,000 was the reason. He chose not to look at the benefit to the state participating in the event might be.

On Monday, The North State Journal reported:

North Carolina will have a 750-square-foot “spotlight” pavilion at the Great American State Fair despite reporting over the last week saying North Carolina is one of a half-dozen states to have pulled out of the 250th anniversary event.

Some of the states implied they dropped out over political reasons, but the Stein administration cited cost.

When contacted regarding the decision, Gov. Josh Stein’s office forwarded questions to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR), which claimed an estimated cost of $100,000 was the reason.

NCDNCR Communications Director Schorr Johnson said in an email the cost was outside their “normal operating budget” and included “producing materials for a large exhibition space and covering staff travel and accommodation.”

 “Our limited resources are focused on America 250 events across North Carolina, including our signature event at the State Capitol in Raleigh on July 4,” Johnson said.

In a subsequent email, North State Journal asked if the Semiquincentennial Committee had been informed and asked about providing funding. Johnson did not directly answer but said the Freedom 250 organizers were informed April 6.

Johnson did say other state entities were invited to participate but declined for “similar budgetary reasons.”

…Sen. Ted Alexander (R-Cleveland), co-chair of the legislature’s Semiquincentennial Committee, told North State Journal he was “very disappointed to learn that” the state had pulled out.

Alexander sent a letter to Stein urging him to reconsider, and NCDNCR set up a “very cordial” meeting with Ann Evangelista, who has been the liaison to his committee for that department.

Alexander said he didn’t know of the state pulling out of the event until recently.

“I can’t speak for the things that (Evangelista) didn’t say, but yes, I did not know about it until the other day,” he said.

“I just thought it was a terrible shame that being one of the original 13 colonies especially, that I think that this has been planned for some time. And I’m just disappointed that they could not, or they apparently couldn’t, find the money.”

“I will say that regardless of what the state government is doing, there have been some groups that have stepped up, and I’m very pleased about that.”

Alexander mentioned involvement by Richard Childress Racing, SPEVCO and Great American State Fair North Carolina, a nonprofit set up to fill the void left by the state, adding, “I applaud all three of those groups for doing this.”

The article concludes:

Khatod (Lori Khatod) also said Freedom 250 organizers were using North Carolina as a “spotlight pavilion” for the fair.

The Great American State Fair will run from Thursday through July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., stretching from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. Organizers say there will be exhibits from all 50 states — even those who have pulled out on the state level — plus U.S. territories.

In addition to traditional state fair activities, there will be daily themed programming such as Military & Veterans Appreciation Day, and “Engines of Enterprise.” Five national pavilions will have overarching American themes: Made in America, American Heartland, America Innovates, The American Canvas, and Faith & Family.

Admission is free with hours starting at 10 a.m. each day that run into the evening. The fair will be open until midnight on July 4.