After Illinois State Fair canceled, communities brace for economic hit

The economic cost of canceling the Illinois State Fair could top $80 million, according to some estimates.

State Rep. Mike Murphy, R-Springfield, used to own a restaurant on the other side of town from the fairgrounds in Springfield. He said the fair week has always been a big week for local businesses. Murphy said he understood a traditional fair wasn’t in the cards this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but he said Gov. J.B. Pritzker should have made the decision with more input from stakeholders and the legislature.