Cal Expo Gets Infusion Of Cash From Legislature To Keep Limited Operations Running

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The California Legislature has given Cal Expo an infusion of cash that will keep it running at least through the 2020-21 fiscal year.

On Monday, Cal Expo leaders thanked lawmakers for the financial allocation.

"The Cal Expo Board is grateful for the Legislature's and the Governor's commitment to keep Cal Expo open and to ensure we can continue to provide much-needed crisis response services," wrote CEO and General Manager Rick Pickering in a statement.

RELATED: Cal Expo To Lay Off Over Half Of Its Full-Time Employees

The coronavirus pandemic left Cal Expo on the brink of closing. Back in July, after canceling the 2020 edition of the California State Fair, the facility announced that over half of Cal Expo's full-time employees would be laid off.

Despite the State Fair and other events being canceled this year, the Cal Expo grounds have been used as a drive-thru coronavirus testing location for Sacramento County. More than 10,000 tests have been completed since it opened for testing back on March 24, officials say.

The infusion of cash from the legislature will help Cal Expo continue these limited operations.

Cal Expo usually generates more than $300 million a year into the local economy, with a large chunk of that being from the State Fair, officials said.