Budget cuts prompt a dozen Illinois historic sites to pare schedules

[L Verge]

You make the same points that many of us in the history museums make every day, Gene. Heritage tourism is a big buzz in the travel industry. I think the State of Illinois needs to clean house from top to bottom from what I hear about their political process. Their Lincoln sites should be top priority in their conference and visitors' bureau statewide.

Those sites are to Illinois and the U.S. what Williamsburg is to Virginia and the U.S. - and yes, what the John Wilkes Booth Escape Route Tours are to Maryland. Using the tours as an example, we do at least 8-10 each year with 50 people each time. The bus company gets a big chunk; Ford's Theatre now requires us to purchase two $50 permits each year as well as pay $2/person for advanced tickets; the Mudd museum will not give us a group rate (which is standard in the travel industry), so we pay them $7/person each trip; the visitors buy their lunches individually at Capt. Billy's, but let's just say that it is never less than $10/person there; the State of Maryland charges us to cross the bridge into Virginia; and finally, we make a pit stop at a Horne's restaurant and gift shop, and everyone usually buys snacks and a drink for the hour-plus ride home. Since many of our visitors spend the night, we have arrangements with three nearby hotels for reduced rates if they mention Surratt House. That is still in the neighborhood of $100/night for a couple. And that's peanuts compared to what visitors to Springfield spend. What was the combined visitation? Nearly 900,000 people per year?