St. Clair County is transforming Belle-Clair Fairgrounds. Here's a rundown
St. Clair County has spent years and millions of dollars buying land, demolishing the old racetrack and renovating the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds in Belleville.
The revived County Fair and a new quarter-mile dirt track are set to debut this summer.
Fair St. Clair returns July 30-Aug. 1 after more than 10 years, headlined by concerts from Noah Cyrus and Bret Michaels, along with stock car races, rides, a petting zoo and agricultural exhibits. The first race on the rebuilt track is set for Aug. 1.
Here's a rundown of how the transformation has progressed:
- On June 22, the County Board signed a 10-year lease with promoter WM Marketing, Inc., run by World Wide Technology Raceway owner Curtis Francois, to operate the Belle-Clair Speedway starting July 1.
- The St. Clair County Public Building Commission voted June 18 to buy the former Uncle Nick’s Deli and adjoining vacant land on South Illinois Street for $280,000 plus closing costs. The county may use the property for extra parking and future development.
- A new farmers market debuted at May’s monthly flea market at the fairgrounds inside renovated pavilions that cost about $400,000 to restore.
- In March, the County Board approved spending at least $272,000 to relocate part of South Church Street east around the new racetrack, with the road initially rebuilt with rock so it can reopen by July for the County Fair.
- Officials announced in January that the total cost of the racetrack’s construction is $13.9 million, including a $9.4 million guaranteed maximum price from Impact Strategies. The funding sources are Public Building Commission reserves and a $5 million state grant reimbursement.
- Demolition of the old fifth-of-a-mile track began in March 2025 under an $85,000 contract with Hank’s Excavating and Landscaping Inc., paid for with federal COVID-19 relief dollars from the American Rescue Plan. The old track opened in 1948 and closed in 2020.
- State Sen. Chris Belt and state Rep. Jay Hoffman announced in June 2024 that they secured a $5 million state grant for the planned fairgrounds renovations, including a new racetrack.
- Between 2024 and 2025, the county’s Public Building Commission approved spending $2.1 million to purchase a total of 14 properties bordering the fairgrounds. Among them was a former Auffenberg used car lot on South Illinois Street for $730,000 plus closing costs. The car lot will become a future entrance to the fairgrounds.
- In May 2023, St. Clair County planned to spend $14 million in COVID relief funds on construction at the fairgrounds, including a new roof and HVAC system for the expo center. The County Board voted in December 2024 to increase the amount earmarked for the fairgrounds to $15.2 million.
- With legal help from the city of Belleville, St. Clair County bought the 22.5-acre fairgrounds property in December 2022 for $2.35 million, which was also covered by COVID relief funds.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.