The nonprofit foundation designed to help upkeep Illinois' fairgrounds plans on selling naming rights to state fair buildings to help pay for improvements.
Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation chairman John Slayton says that the group is in negotiations with corporations for naming rights to various buildings. He says the foundations hopes to raise $3 million to $5 million a year and naming rights will be the "biggest dollars."
The Illinois Department of Agriculture says the backlog of repairs needed at the state fairgrounds in Springfield and Du Quoin total about $180 million dollars. Agriculture Department director Raymond Poe backs the fundraising idea and says getting the first big naming rights deal will spur others.
The foundation held its first fundraiser in Springfield on Sunday.
