Officials with the Wisconsin State Fair Park say the facility is coming back strong after tough financial times. For the past several years the facility in West Allis has faced a budget in the red, despite the strong pull of the annual fair.
State Fair Park Board Chairman Martin Greenberg says that's changing now, based largely on several restructuring efforts. Figures released by the board show the event actually turned a profit this year, despite other costs holding it back. There hoping that will hold up for next year and bring in an overall profit, once the sale of the Pettit National Ice Center is completed.
Greenberg says recent efforts to remove the Milwaukee Mile and the Pettit National Ice Center from park operations are helping the bottom line, making it possible for the facility to be profitable again. State officials still have to approve the sale of the Pettit Center to the agency that's already running the facility.
sfpbva092006.mp3 (460k)