State Fair settles with Tenn. company

The State Fair of Virginia Inc. has reached a settlement with the Tennessee-based company planning a 10-day event this summer at the fair's former home.

The federal lawsuit, filed March 6 in Richmond, alleged that Universal Fairs used a similar logo and participated in unfair competition through misleading statements as it promoted the Richmond State Fair, planned for the Richmond Raceway Complex, longtime home of the State Fair of Virginia.

The settlement, reached Friday, requires that Cordova, Tenn.-based Universal Fairs and its affiliated companies drop the term "State" from their event. The company must also change the font of their event and not use a Ferris wheel in "direct connection" with their event's name, "to aid in further clarification between the carnival and the State Fair," according to a statement yesterday from the State Fair of Virginia.

"We are pleased with the outcome, which resolves our concerns over Universal Fairs' marketing practices," State Fair of Virginia President Curry Roberts said in the statement. "While it is regrettable that we had to file the suit, it is important that the State Fair of Virginia event maintains its reputation on behalf of the thousands of Virginians who pour their heart and soul into the event each fall."

Mark Lovell, president of Universal Fairs, said he's glad to have the lawsuit behind him. "I don't need to be dealing with that kind of stuff. I just want to put on a fair and have a good time," said Lovell. "We're going to bring a fair to the raceway that the folks there are going to be tickled to death with."

Lovell said his company maintains plans to put on an event, the Richmond Fair, at the raceway July 17-26 and that it will include rides, food, and local and regional music.

Universal Fairs approached raceway officials last year when they heard the State Fair was moving from Richmond Raceway Complex to Meadow Event Park in Caroline County, near Kings Dominion in Hanover County. The State Fair will be held Sept. 24 through Oct. 4 at its new site.

All materials that Universal Fairs use to promote their event must include the disclaimer "Not affiliated with the State Fair of Virginia Inc." The Web site http://www.richmondfair.com, the official Web site for the event, includes the disclaimer.

The disclaimer must also be used when Universal Fairs contacts prospective vendors. The lawsuit alleged that Universal Fairs called vendors and told them the State Fair of Virginia will not be conducted by State Fair of Virginia Inc. but rather Universal.

"We don't want any confusion in the marketplace between what we do and what the carnival does," said Jay Lugar, spokesman for the State Fair of Virginia.

Contact Jeremy Slayton at (804) 649-6861 or .

Staff writers Lisa Crutchfield and Mark Bowes contributed to this report.