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Thursday, 22 September 2011 09:36 |
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HURON, S.D. (AP) _ The South Dakota State Fair has turned the
corner to a brighter future just a few years after legislators
questioned the annual event's future.
The 126th fair earlier this month saw both attendance and
revenue increases. Manger Jerome Hertel tells the Argus Leader
that the fair continues to work toward
self-sufficiency in case state funding ends.
In 2002, the Legislature gave $900,000 to the fair to help it
retire debt. In 2006 and 2007, it gave the fair $750,000 before
decreasing the amount to $400,000 in 2008 and now $267,000 as
officials seek to close a gap between state revenue and
expenditures.
In 2004, Agriculture Secretary Larry Gabriel announced a
three-year plan to get the fair on solid footing. The fair has
recorded attendance increases the past five years.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) |
