“Save the Fair” protestors gather at fairgrounds in opposition to CARTA plans

LADSON, S.C. (WCBD)- Some members of the community joined together in a protest this weekend at the Coastal Carolina Fair, amid a controversy over the transportation company CARTA having plans to use some of the fair’s land for a park-and-ride facility.

CARTA’s plan is to use 6 acres of the 180-acre fairgrounds and transform the space from a parking lot to a Carta park-and-ride facility.

However, the plan isn’t sitting well win fair leadership.

“We have much better use of that, the public had much better use of that 6 acres, which we’re doing,” Coastal Carolina Fair media relations, Gary Leonard asid.

Protestors lined the sidewalk in front of the fair’s entrance with signs saying “Save the Fair”, an effort Jerry Morris says he’s proud to support, since the fair gives so much back to the community.

Morris said, “The fair, we’ve been doing this since 1957 and we have about 65 charities that depend on us each year.”

Fair leaderships says taking away that 6 acres of land would disturb fair operations, like parking for visitors.

One of their biggest concerns is that they feel like the fair hasn’t had a say in what happenes to their own land.

“We’ve made offers to talk about some things and have some communications open but we don’t seem to get a response back. Realize also we’ve never received a formal offer for the property. They’ve not offered to buy this, they just sent us a lease agreement,” Leonard said.

Carta said in a statement, “As South Carolina’s largest transit agency, CARTA values the Coastal Carolina Fair as a partner and community institution. Both the initial concept of a fairgrounds park-and-ride — and the facility’s location on the property — were made in coordination with fair leadership. We look forward to continued collaboration and delivering world-class transit service to the community year-round while also making the fair accessible to more Lowcountry residents than ever before. Lowcountry Rapid Transit, the state’s first mass transit infrastructure project, represents a transformative $650 million investment that will keep our region connected and competitive for decades to come while supporting valued local businesses and events.”