Crowds fill fair but spend far less
TAKAAKI IWABU - tiwabu@newsobserver.com
Macon Crowder, 18, and his friend, Mercedez Sanderson, 15, stroll a midway as they carry winnings Sunday at the State Fair. Total attendance through Saturday was 903,674. That's second only to last year's 1,091,887.
BY PAUL A. SPECHT / The News and Observer
BY PAUL A. SPECHT / The News and Observer
RALEIGH -- While more than 1 million people crossed through the gates of the N.C. State Fair this year, it wasn't enough to beat last year's record crowd, state officials estimate.
But N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler isn't complaining.
"I couldn't ask for more in an economy like this," he said Sunday.
The total attendance for the fair was 1,009,173, fair officials announced today. That's second only to last year's 1,091,887 - despite high unemployment and a $1 increase in ticket prices.
While high attendance is good news for the state, it doesn't always signal what people are spending inside the gates.
And this year, vendors say they're seeing smaller profits, while fairgoers say they're keeping more money in their pockets.
Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/24/1590395/crowds-fill-fair-but-spend-far.html#ixzz1biUxtasJ
But N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler isn't complaining.
"I couldn't ask for more in an economy like this," he said Sunday.
The total attendance for the fair was 1,009,173, fair officials announced today. That's second only to last year's 1,091,887 - despite high unemployment and a $1 increase in ticket prices.
While high attendance is good news for the state, it doesn't always signal what people are spending inside the gates.
And this year, vendors say they're seeing smaller profits, while fairgoers say they're keeping more money in their pockets.
Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/24/1590395/crowds-fill-fair-but-spend-far.html#ixzz1biUxtasJ
Dick
ReplyDeleteI am leaving Raleigh in the morning, for Riverview. We had a very good week in Raleigh, ride gross was down a little, but the food grosses were up. I don't know about the games.