WAYNE, Neb. -- The Wayne County Fair grounds are full of attractions, and none are bigger than the arena.

As the Wayne County Fair continues through the weekend, as many as 3,000 people can be seated on the new grandstand to enjoy the festivities.

Fair Manager Kevin Davis said the original idea for the grandstand was to add 1,000 seats on the north side of the arena.

“Talking with our commissioners, our old grandstand had trees behind it, and it was kind of pushing the grandstand," Davis said. "As you see, we got new sidewalks. It was pushing it down here so then we worked with them, and we were able to come up with a new plan and put in a new grandstand.”

According to Davis, the construction company that won the bid for the bleachers put the Wayne fairground first on the list in Nebraska. This allowed them to get started in March, and started by them flattening the dirt where the old bleachers were. 

According to Davis, the new grandstand cost around $450,000 to $500,000.

Davis said the crowd at Thursday night’s Ultimate Bull Riding Tour was around 2,500, and with how warm it was, Davis was happy with the attendance.

Davis said another reason the grandstand was built was to expand handicap accessibility.

“We got 24 spots along this thing for wheelchairs, and it’s ramped on each end, a ramp in the center, and these steps coming down here. To me that’s a huge thing," Davis said.

Davis added how the arena is visible for people in the rides located on the opposite side of the grandstand.

After finishing the grandstand in time for the fair, Davis said there are plans to further the renovations on the fairgrounds. However, he said it will take some planning. 

“You look at it, you talk about it…It might be another year or two years before we do it but there’ll definitely be something we’ll be doing," Davis said.

With other renovations around the fairgrounds, Davis said that he sees a possibility for all of Wayne County to use it for events.

“It’s Wayne County and people can use it," Davis said. "That’s kind of what we’re hoping that maybe people, in time, will start using this and making the whole county use it more.”