County Examining Future of Wheaton’s DuPage Fairgrounds

A nine-member task force assembled to examine possibilities for the future of the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton has “all options on the table” as it discusses whether anything should be changed about how the land is used, the Chicago Tribune reports.

According to the paper, the DuPage County Fair Association uses the 55-acre parcel of land on Manchester Road for $1,350 a year, based on a 1961 agreement, and has a lease through 2020; the fair itself only uses the grounds for three weeks a year, although other events are held there year-round.

"The county board members, and myself, feel an obligation to the taxpayers that we closely examine this issue. We love the fair, but is it a good deal for the taxpayers?" DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin told the paper. “"We're just trying to do our due diligence here and gather information so we can make some informed decisions as we move forward."

Jim McGuire, president of the DCFA, told the paper that “we do not have the wherewithal ourselves to develop another 40-acre site as our fairground. We have explored that... and the cost would be prohibitive… We'd like to stay in DuPage County." 

Read the full story at the Chicago Tribune website.