Small Illinois city enjoys economic success from the solar eclipse
MT. CARMEL, ILL. (WFIE) - Don’t let the rain deceive you, Mount Carmel was one of the best places to be around the Tri-State on eclipse day.
While many people drove to their chosen spot to view the eclipse, many people flew, meaning a big day for Mount Carmel’s municipal airport.
The beautiful weather may not have stuck around long after Monday, but it made for an ideal eclipse day.
“It was perfect. It was a perfect day for having it,” says Luis Garcia, Mt. Carmel Municipal Airport Manager. “I was so excited for everyone to come here and enjoy themselves and see the eclipse.”
Officials with the Mount Carmel Municipal Airport say they usually have between two and three planes stop there each day.
On eclipse day, the had 56. This led to over $3,000 in gas sales. They say that’s about triple what they sometimes make over the course of a month.
City officials tell us they had a few hundred visitors at their events in town, which included a concert, vendors and food trucks.
They say it was a good opportunity to show off the city and its people to those from across the country.
“It was really nice, and everybody was so excited about the small-town feel where everybody was polite,” explains Mike Gidcumb, Mount Carmel Public Works Director. “That’s what I kept hearing from everybody that was outside of the city of Mount Carmel, how nice and polite everybody was.”
Airport officials say everyone enjoyed the staff’s “I blacked out in Mt. Carmel” t-shirts, along with all the food and drinks they sold there.
They say people’s only problems with the shirts is they didn’t have any for sale, and employees aren’t eager to give them away.
“I can’t, it’s mine. I’m sorry, but if I had a lot I would have made a lot of people happy here,” Luis tells us.
City officials say with the eclipse now behind them, they get to look forward to other projects, like their continuing work to make Mount Carmel an even better place to live and visit.
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