State Fair Loses Millions of Dollars

By Margaret Lyons in News on Jun 6, 2008 5:31PM

Illinois's state fairs cost tax payers over $4 million last year, according to a new report from Illinois's Auditor General. The Illinois State Fair's costs exceeded its revenues by $3,435,505 last year; DuQuoin's fair fared slightly better, being only $900,507 in the red.

A spokesman for the Illinois Department of Agriculture says that he doesn't dispute the audit's findings, but he's not too concerned. ''Certainly we would like it to (pay for itself), but we don't believe that the purpose of the fair is to make a profit. I think you need to consider the return the state gets for its investment in the fair," he said.

This year's fair starts August 8 and will include performances from Joan Jett, Fergie, and Weird Al. C'mon, Department of Agriculture--if you can't make money off that, you're just not trying. [Pantagraph, Auditor General]