The Citizens Club of Springfield held its monthly meeting at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Friday morning and the topic was a power point presentation and panel discussion of the future plans for the Illinois State Fair.

Fair manager, Rebecca Clark, along with two colleagues and Springfield Tourism Director, Scott Dahl, spoke before over 100 people.

Clark says the fair has had three record years, thanks in no small part to excellent weather and she hopes to see that continue.

She says a big challenge any venue faces these days is competition from people’s cell phones but she says her team wants to turn that into a positive with a greater internet presence that includes a new color scheme, a focus on authenticity and action in photography and a greater social media footprint.

She also said folks are looking forward to the return of the tram service which will make 18 stops around the fairgrounds during its run and the reopening of the Arena with its bright white canopy.

Dahl says the fair contributes millions of dollars to the area economy each year and Springfields revenue from all tourism sources is approaching one billion dollars.

He also talked about the upcoming centennial of Route 66 and how the State Fairgrounds is the hub of Illinois 300-mile-long stretch of the historic highway.