38 Comments - Wylie Coyote - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 4:32 pm: It’s going to take a lot more than $30 million to get the fairgrounds in even remotely decent shape. The administration needs to give the foundation some backing to go out and get the sponsorships from the big ag-related companies that are based or do business in Illinois. Iowa has done it and their fairgrounds look like Disney World compared to our glorified county fairgrounds on the north side of Springfield. - Flat Bed Ford - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 4:32 pm: “I really envisioned people calling me…” That’s not how you fundraise. - 47th Ward - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 4:33 pm: It was a good idea (still is). It was just very poorly executed. - Don Gerard - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 4:39 pm: These beggars with their hands out simply do not have any idea how hard people work for their money and how difficult it is for Illinois residents to even make ends meet. I mean, $30M? Bruce Rauner has to work almost one-and-three-quarters months to make that kind of money! - m - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 4:51 pm: =It was just very poorly executed.= Yes. The would-be donors had their heart set on a particular bill and certain provisions in the bill. That didn’t happen, the money people in the ag world did some finger pointing and complaining, and now they believe that their money will be wasted via procurement rules, prevailing wage, etc, so they aren’t writing the checks. - Chris Widger - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 4:52 pm: The Democrats chose to hold the state hostage to maintain the unmaintainable status quo. This failure, like most (but not all) our state suffers, is on them. - Occam - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 4:53 pm: Given that the State has flubbed the sports betting legislation and that Fairmount Park Racetrack is slated to close, why doesn’t the State just move the fair to Fairmount Park. They already have the infrastructure there. They could lease out some of the surrounding farmland for parking. The whole thing could be accomplished for pennies on the dollar compared to the $185 million estimate. - m - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 4:55 pm: This article does a great job of laying out the feelings of the ag world on this. http://www.wallacesfarmer.com/blogs-lets-compare-iowa-illinois-fairgroundsand-foundations-11215 - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:06 pm: ===The Democrats chose to hold the state hostage=== Nope. Good try. “I’m frustrated too but taking steps to reform Illinois is more important than a short term budget stalemate.” That was “The Owl”, Ron Sandack, explaining vetoes, and the refusal to let budgets pass or exist over vetoes You are either willfully ignorant or blissfully unaware of how Rauner held the budgets from being. You are also grossly ignorant to a budget being passed by bipartisan members overriding Rauner’s vetoes, saving Illinois, and the 152-20 making clear… veto or not, Illinois was having a budget, crafted without Bruce Rauner being able to stop it. - Cheswick - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:07 pm: The governor should lead a fundraising effort like he did for the mansion. - Nick Name - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:11 pm: The State Fairgrounds buildings are public buildings and capital improvements should be paid for out of the public purse, not by private interests who will then compete for naming rights. That the state government — legislative and executive branches — let things get this bad is utterly shameful. Those buildings are landmarks and belong to everybody. Failing to maintain them is a betrayal of public trust. - wordslinger - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:13 pm: The lack of any Illinois corporate support for the Illinois State Fair has driven me nuts for years. The shameless ingrates. Looking right at you, especially, CME and CBOE, with your one-off multi-million tax-break-scores in the middle of The Great Recession. But where’s the hustle from state government? No soft drink sponsor? No McDonald’s? No Walgreens, no WGN, for examples? The list is endless, who’s not there. No John Deere, for crying out loud? The dude invented the self-scouring plow in Ogle County. Deere HQ is in East Moline; they sponsor the Iowa State Fair, but not Illinois’. For years, I have gone on-and-on about this disrespect from the corporate world and laziness from the state government in putting the arm to them. I thought Rauner was a salesman. Just check out the state fair sponsor list links below for Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana. Then, check your blood pressure. It’s a bad joke. https://www2.illinois.gov/statefair/sponsors/Pages/Sponsors.aspx http://wistatefair.com/fair/fair-sponsors-2/ https://www.iowastatefair.org/sponsors/ https://www.indianastatefair.com/state-fair/sponsors/ - wordslinger - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:18 pm: –The State Fairgrounds buildings are public buildings and capital improvements should be paid for out of the public purse, not by private interests who will then compete for naming rights. – Why is that? I’m at a loss, trying to understand. You know, at their essence, state fairs are a celebration of private enterprise. - Mod Dem - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:20 pm: Here is a thought, perhaps we could have a State Fair where the people of the State actually live? That way attendance may actually cover the cost of the event. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:22 pm: Democrats won’t even loosen work rules on projects with 100% private money. They would rather it not be built unless they have 100% control of how the donors spend their money. They don’t care what these people do as longs as it’s compulsory - wordslinger - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:27 pm: –Here is a thought, perhaps we could have a State Fair where the people of the State actually live?– Oh they do. It’s already in Illinois. At the state capitol. The lack of imagination and hustle in promoting the state fair is just mind-numbingly stupid. Here is just one obvious and simple idea: put on a high school marching band jamboree. Those cats perform for nothing and they travel. You’d have buses from every corner of the state jamming the I-55 exits, putting heads in beds. - JoanP - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:30 pm: “I really envisioned people calling me, but it has not happened . . . ” I’m on couple of boards of non-profits. Believe me, we do not sit on our hands and wait for people to call us. We call them. We send them letters. We set up meetings. We *ask*. - wordslinger - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:32 pm: –“I really envisioned people calling me, but it has not happened,” said Slayton, chairman of the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation. […]– You said that out loud, did you? Yeah, maybe you’re not the guy for the job. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 5:39 pm: “For years, I have gone on-and-on about this disrespect from the corporate world and laziness from the state government in putting the arm to them.” Outraged about how the business community treats state government but not how state government treats business. What could possibly be the difference between the Iowa and Illinois state fairs? Hmm - wordslinger - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 6:01 pm: –Outraged about how the business community treats state government but not how state government treats business. What could possibly be the difference between the Iowa and Illinois state fairs? Hmm– Is that’s what going on here, babushka? I’ve been on this for years. When did you get interested? Your tuneup at the home office in Kazan is way overdue. - Postpone - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 6:19 pm: Why doesn’t the Department of Agriculture get sponsorships, seek corporate donors, sell naming rights for these critical projects? How does the Fair Foundation have the authority to act for the State or to control an asset? Can anybody start a foundation and be given the authority to give naming rights or sponsorships for state buildings? Seems to me there could be some issues if anyone can do this. Just saying. - The Dude Abides - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 6:35 pm: Just another example of an all hat and no cattle administration failing to get it done. - Stuntman Bob's Brother - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 7:35 pm: ==No John Deere, for crying out loud?== Also no sponsorship by Caterpillar or Case New Holland, in a state with a zillion miles of roads, on top of being a huge ag producer - and both companies with manufacturing and corporate headquarters in the state? Wow. Throw AGCO, Ford, and Komatsu into the mix as well, plenty of shame to go around. - JS Mill - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 9:26 pm: =This article does a great job of laying out the feelings of the ag world on this. http://www.wallacesfarmer.com/blogs-lets-compare-iowa-illinois-fairgroundsand-foundations-11215= I indulged and followed the link and read the blog. Lots of complaining about money being drained by CPS. Funny how those tax averse farmers never, ever talk complain about how all the Ag tax breaks, and Ag subsidies drain away my tax dollars. Maybe they just forgot? I love farmers, genuinely, but like everyone else they have a short memory when it comes to their special deals. =Here is just one obvious and simple idea: put on a high school marching band jamboree. Those cats perform for nothing and they travel.= @Word- with respect- I beg of you, beg, please do not share that idea with anyone else lest it take hold. We are getting killed in our transportation fund and our large band travels all over the midwest. And we bring a following, the idea is pure evil genius. Please, I implore you, no more band trips (banned punctuation) /heavy snark - Arsenal - Monday, Jun 11, 18 @ 10:08 pm: ==This failure… is== - on the guy who thought he could fundraise just by sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring. So silly. I know you like to pretend to think that Bruce Rauner never has to take responsibility for anything, but he set up this foundation, he staffed it, the staffers are duds, and it’s not working. That’s on Bruce. - Publius - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 5:26 am: Wasn’t there a proposal to do year around horse racing? Couldn’t that create a review source for grounds up keep - Doi Chef - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 7:53 am: Gee, $180m needed. Yet our General Assembly didn’t seem to have any qualms funding the Obama shrine, er, I mean museum…in Chicago, where everyone knows is all that matters in Illinois. (snark) - m - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 8:56 am: =I indulged and followed the link and read the blog. Lots of complaining about money being drained by CPS. Funny how those tax averse farmers never, ever talk complain about how all the Ag tax breaks, and Ag subsidies drain away my tax dollars. Maybe they just forgot?= Maybe you clicked the wrong link. I saw one brief off-handed mention of dollars going to CPS and not a single mention of taxes. And while you seem to have an issue with subsidies, they’re advocating to spend private money instead of your taxes on fairgrounds repairs. =Democrats won’t even loosen work rules on projects with 100% private money. They would rather it not be built unless they have 100% control of how the donors spend their money.= I’ve never agreed with you before, but this is exactly the issue. If they and their friends don’t get their tribute, ain’t noboby buildin’ nothin’. This is exactly why Deere, CNH, etc would rather donate to Iowa’s fair. - JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 9:04 am: =Maybe you clicked the wrong link. I saw one brief off-handed mention of dollars going to CPS and not a single mention of taxes. And while you seem to have an issue with subsidies, they’re advocating to spend private money instead of your taxes on fairgrounds repairs.= Are you being purposefully obtuse? The CPS money is generated by taxation. Is it your belief that they think it comes from donations? Where do you think Ag subsidies come from? Lotto winnings? Those are also generated by taxes. The point is that farmers, like others, don’t like it when someone else benefits from taxation, but have no issue when they get tax money. It is a bit hypocritical. You are the one that left the link to the blog, which was all about complaining. These advocates for public funds are one of the largest recipients of public dollars to support their chosen field of endeavor, yet they don’t like supporting “Chicago Schools” with their tax dollars. That is from the link that you shared. - Exclamation Point Deleted - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 9:11 am: While it would not be a panacea perhaps now is the time to look into bringing Live Nation into the fold to “purchase” and takeover the Grandstand operations. That is but one piece to the puzzle but it is a huge one. Maybe they could even partner with Hollywood Casino (like in west St. Louis and Tinley Park) and offer racino options to help keep a key component of the Fair more relevant and open more often during the rest of the year. Chris Stapleton sold out the BOS Center and Avenged Sevenfold sold out the Peoria Civic Center. Foo Fighters sold well at the State Farm Center. We can attract better acts and they will draw people. - m - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 9:16 am: = These advocates for public funds are one of the largest recipients of public dollars to support their chosen field of endeavor, yet they don’t like supporting “Chicago Schools” with their tax dollars.= They are advocating for legislation for a foundation to pull in private money. It’s clear, from the beginning, that they want to be able to do what Iowa has done. WITH PRIVATE MONEY. They also aren’t happy with state government’s support for their industry in the budget. State government doesn’t do farm subsidies. There is not a mention of the federal government. It’s ok, you want this to be about something else (instead of the fair foundation that the original post is about). - wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 9:22 am: –Also no sponsorship by Caterpillar or Case New Holland, in a state with a zillion miles of roads, on top of being a huge ag producer - and both companies with manufacturing and corporate headquarters in the state? – How about ADM? Largest corn and soybean processor on the planet. Corn Products, Allstate, State Farm (what a name), Abbott, Exelon, Nicor…. But CME and CBOE really take the cake. In the depths of the Great Recession, they got a one-off state tax break worth about $100 million a year to them. It costs $50,000 to be a fair Gold Level sponsor, the highest level. Nobody in state government has the sales chops to line up multi-billion-dollar Illinois corporations for $50K? That’s a joke. - m - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 9:28 am: =Nobody in state government has the sales chops to line up multi-billion-dollar Illinois corporations for $50K? That’s a joke.= Give them their bill and they will do it. Most of these companies are already doing it in other states. - A guy - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 9:29 am: Sling, this may make you very uncomfortable….but I could not possibly agree with you more on this. - Nick Name - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 9:35 am: Prairie Farms, and Illinois company, sponsors the Wisconsin State Fair, but not the Illinois State Fair? Ugh. - Nick Name - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 9:39 am: ===–The State Fairgrounds buildings are public buildings and capital improvements should be paid for out of the public purse, not by private interests who will then compete for naming rights. – Why is that? I’m at a loss, trying to understand. You know, at their essence, state fairs are a celebration of private enterprise.=== I know that. But I see it as Illinois government abdicating its responsibility as stewards of public buildings. If the state made an effort to maintain these buildings, I might not be so hostile to the idea. Also, whenever someone like Rauner talks public-private partnership, it almost certainly means trying to skirt around prevailing wage laws. crewed. - Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 2:14 pm: Holly Spangler, who wrote m’s article for the Prairie Farmer, is Secretary of the Illinois State Fairground Foundation. She blames the Illinois procurement process for costing the state double or triple for things, with no evidence. - Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Jun 12, 18 @ 2:27 pm: Checked out the procurement rules on the IDOA website and there was nothing that looked like it could cause anything to cost double. Maybe the part about using the services of disabled veterans.Disabled veterans might be a little slower. So? Don’t you want to help them, Miss Spangler? 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