Although DeKalb was not represented in the Illinois High School Association football state championships, the city of DeKalb has projected up to $1 million in revenue, despite the budget issues affecting the state.

The IHSA football championships, played on Nov. 27 and 28, consisted of the top 16 teams in the state battling for eight class championships on the turf of Huskie Stadium. DeKalb has projected $800,000 to $1 million dollars in revenue based on the results from NIU’s 2013 hosting, said Debbie Armstrong, executive director of the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“This year was more challenging because of several factors, but the biggest one was the lack of a budget,” Armstrong said. “The issue is that people are working without their normal budgets, and so that definitely affected sponsorships this year.”

Rauner’s Fiscal Year 2016 proposed budget includes reduction in funds to public entities, and a lack of agreement on the proposed budget has resulted in a five-month impasse. Without a finalized budget, funds such as the local government distribution fund cannot be appropriated fully.

The DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau received more funding from the local government distribution fund in 2013 than in 2015 for the football games, Armstrong said.

The ticket sales from this year’s attendance were comparable to the record breaking 30,000 in 2013, but dipped slightly due to the weather on Nov. 28, said NIU Spokesperson Brad Hoey.

The projected revenue for 2015 is based on results from 2013 which include 475 hotel bookings, a 50 percent increase in restaurant revenue, 14 private caterings and an increase in sales at local gas stations, grocery stores and retail stores, Armstrong said.

DeKalb also received $200,000 in free statewide publicity from print, TV and radio through the IHSA, Armstrong said.

“I typically underestimate because I would rather underestimate and have numbers be better so that we can feel good about what numbers we put out there,” Armstrong said.

NIU makes money from parking and a portion of concessions, but field and facility maintenance costs come from NIU’s operating budget. Most importantly, NIU sees this as a strong marketing tool, Hoey said.

“It is a community event as much as it is a university event,” Hoey said. “The university benefits from having 30,000 people visit our facilities. It showcases the university, our athletic facilities, and many of them are high-school age students and that is a great recruiting tool.”

The DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau was able to control costs associated with the IHSA football championships because of use of NIU’s field and facilities, money from various sponsors and the 100 to 150 volunteers from the community, Armstrong said.

Sponsors included the city of DeKalb, Shaw Media, Fatty’s Pub & Grille, First National Bank and Sodexo, according to the IHSA Destination DeKalb website.

“Overall, we feel like it was another successful venture and we really look forward to doing it again in 2017,” Hoey said.