A major fundraising effort is underway to help restore the state’s aging fairgrounds.

 The Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation, is aiming to raise through private donations, the roughy 185 million dollars that would be needed to fix the aging sewer and electrical systems, crumbling roads, and dilapidated buildings in both DuQuoin and Springfield.

 To date, they’ve raised roughly $10,000 dollars.

 Foundation Chairman John Slayton says that he hopes to see more donations come in now that the foundations website is up and running.

 The group is also in talks to sell naming rights to several buildings to raise the cash.