Cardinal Gateway

The Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds, home to the Ohio State Fair since 1886, recently began a major campus revitalization to modernize its 360-acre footprint while improving accessibility and visitor flow. As part of this transformation, outdoor spaces were redesigned for greater flexibility and enhanced with new hardscape materials, landscape features, and a clearly defined pedestrian pathway system.

A centerpiece of the improvements is the new north entry gate, known as Cardinal Gateway, replacing the outdated entrance near Historic Crew Stadium. Serving as the primary access point for roughly 80% of fairgoers, the new gateway incorporates permanent ticketing booths and a dramatic, large-span canopy structure providing full coverage for pre-event security screening. Inspired by the sunburst of the Great Seal of the State of Ohio, the arching canopy creates an iconic, modern threshold that welcomes guests and establishes a bold new identity for the fairgrounds.

Meeting the project’s compressed construction timeline required seamless coordination between the fabricator and the galvanizer to ensure all steel components were delivered in alignment with the Ohio State Fair’s opening schedule. Galvanized members were organized into phased release packages, prompting ongoing communication among the fabricator, inside sales, operations, and logistics to maintain turnaround times and uninterrupted erection sequencing.

The canopy’s sweeping, curved geometry introduced unique handling and processing challenges, requiring careful planning and skilled execution throughout the dipping and cooling stages. The galvanizer successfully processed each irregularly shaped member while maintaining coating uniformity, dimensional stability, and consistent surface quality, an essential foundation for the painted finish that would follow.

Hot-dip galvanizing was selected for its unmatched long-term performance, durability, and ability to withstand Ohio’s wide-ranging climate conditions. Its metallurgically bonded coating provides exceptional abrasion resistance and decades of maintenance-free protection, significantly reducing life-cycle costs. To meet the project’s aesthetic vision and further extend corrosion protection, the steel received a duplex coating system, paint applied over the galvanized surface, delivering enhanced longevity, color stability, and a cohesive architectural appearance. This combined system offers synergistic protection, increasing expected service life.

By pairing the advantages of galvanizing with the performance of a painted topcoat and through close collaboration between the fabricator and galvanizer, the team delivered a durable, visually striking entrance structure that will serve as a welcoming landmark for generations of Ohio fairgoers.