PUEBLO — The general manager of the Colorado State Fair said every year attendance averages around 475,000 people over the course of the fair. All of those visitors bring a boost to Pueblo's economy, however, it's been years since there's been a measure of the State Fair's impact.
The General Manager of the Colorado State Fair, Scott Stoller, said the last economic impact study for the Colorado State Fair was done back in 2004. That study claimed there was around $29 million dollars of an economic impact from the fair, but as Stoller pointed out, that number is probably higher nowadays.
Stoller said their livestock program and horse show are big economic drivers, because many people of the people participating in those will stay in Pueblo. He said local restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and feed shops may benefit the most from the surge of people. Stoller said he would like to see another economic impact study done. "Definitely is something that's on our radar and we would like to do one of those in the next couple years, because it is pretty important information for people to know, to showcase how important the State Fair is to this region," said Stoller.
Near the Colorado State Fair is Adolfo's Mexican Restaurant, which told News 5 they see a lot of late night business from the fair. "On holidays, we get pretty packed in here. In the summer it's pretty steady. But when the Fair's here, I think that's the most packed we get," said Katie Holguin, a manager at Adolfo's Mexican Restaurant.
Stoller also said the number of people who come to the fair every year depends on the entertainment lineup, and of course, the weather.
