Indiana State Fair officials have raised admission prices and added a first-ever parking charge for next month's fair following the financial hit the fair took after last year's deadly stage collapse.
The Indianapolis Business Journal reports (http://www.ibj.com/ ) that gate admission at the fair has risen this year from $8 to $10, the first hike since 2006. And a first-time $5 charge has been imposed for parking inside the fairgrounds.
Fair officials say the price hikes will pay for increased attractions at this year's event. They say they're not to make up for the possibility of attendance and revenue losses due to fewer headline concerts and moving those shows from the fairgrounds to Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Last year's overall fair revenue was $8.38 million, down from $11.9 million in 2010.
