Newspaper typo costs Fair gate revenue

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - There were big discounts at the New Mexico State Fair Tuesday because of a small typo in the morning newspaper.

The Albuquerque Journal wrote the week before that Tuesday would be a $2 admission day.

But it was in fact a full-price day: $10 for an adult.

The fair is struggling financially, and officials said it will be out a lot of money because of the typo.

Fair spokesperson Michael Henningsen said they are expecting to lose tens of thousands of dollars to the unplanned discount.

"The financial loss is pretty significant," Henningsen said. "We do have some time left for the fair. We do have a big weekend ahead.

"So I don't think it's going to kill us, but it is definitely going to hurt."

The Journal issued a correction in Saturday's newspaper, but many fairgoers claimed they didn't see it.

Many were angry and confused, prompting State Fair officials to go ahead and honor the $2 admission price to people who asked the ticket booth about the deal.

But for some fairgoers, that decision was made after they arrived and reluctantly paid full price.

About 20,000 people were expected to be at the fair Tuesday. Henningsen said it was an average crowd for an early weekday.

Fair officials are hoping to get some free advertising with the Journal because of the error.

Journal Editor Kent Walz says they're considering that.

Walz said the mistake happened when a reporter misread information on the State Fair website.

The State Fair has decided to wave admission fees for Wednesday Sept. 18.