By: Diane Benjamin

https://illinoisroute66.org/2026/09/mclean-county-visitor-spending-reaches-549-million-in-2025

Celebrating? Excerpt from that story:

The report found that direct visitor activity in McLean County supported 4,006 jobs, generated $124.4 million in labor income and produced $41 million in state tax revenue and $15.8 million in local tax revenue in 2025. McLean County’s 5.8% increase outpaced Illinois’ statewide visitor-spending growth of 3.5%.

Florida has no State income tax because of all the tourists. The difference between Florida and Illinois is WHO is drawing visitors. Huge companies like Disney know people flock to Florida for the weather, beaches, and entertainment. That entertainment is their money – invested because they know what people want.

The above link and others claim local things like sporting and other events draw visitors. Are those privately built?

Coliseum? BCPA? Children’s Discovery Museum? Miller Park Zoo? McLean County History Museum? Uptown events? David Davis Mansion?

Local tax revenue from visitors was estimated locally at $15.8 million. How much of that went to subsidize all of the above government owned venues?

The Coliseum has revenue, it doesn’t come close to breaking even. https://blnnews.com/2026/09/17/entertainment/

Of course no one has ever examined what that list costs you. Since taxes continue to increase because there is never enough money for government, you are paying for what government deems Tourism Economics.

Both Bloomington and Normal think you want government entertainment. They never tell you the private sector entertainments that have been erased because government decided entertainment was their job. If the taxpayer subsidies end the list above will cease to exist.

Prosperity is never created by government. People haven’t moved to Florida in droves by accident.

Illinois not only taxes you to death, they prevent success: