State Fair of Texas closes run for 2012
Posted: 10.22.2012 at 9:14 AM
Photo

DALLAS (AP) - The State Fair of Texas - marked this year by the loss of the towering, cowboy-hat-wearing Big Tex in a fire - may surpass the all-time high spent in previous years on food and amusement rides.

The fair ended Sunday. The current record was set in 2010 at $37.3 million.

State Fair president Errol McKoy says this year's fair could be close to that. He says, "It's just too close to call at this point."

The fair this year included a Chinese Lantern Festival and an exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts.

On Friday, the 52-foot-tall Big Tex was destroyed by fire due to an electrical malfunction. But officials say Big Tex will be restored and will be back for next year's fair.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)