50 years ago in Expo history: The fair was a comfortable financial success doing far better than initial projections – other than a few shows

When Expo ’74 got underway in spring, officials hoped that the ticketed entertainment events at the Opera House and Coliseum would somehow break even.

Now, with closing less than a week away, it was clear that the entertainment events would turn a profit of at least $500,000.

Entertainment director Mike Kobluk said the original budget was based on attendance of between 55 and 60% of capacity.

Yet the box office had been off from the beginning, and the attendance was “closer to 75 or 80%.”

The two biggest draws: The Soviet gymnast exhibitions, featuring Olga Korbut, and the U.S.-Soviet exhibition basketball games. Some of those events toured outside of Spokane, although still sponsored by Expo. The tours were originally intended simply to promote the fair, but they ended up making money.

Overall, about 85% of Expo’s shows and performances either broke even or turned a profit.

A few shows lost money, not because they weren’t popular, but because the shows were expensive to bring in because of their sheer size. Those performances included the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Moiseyev Dancers, and several of the attractions from overseas.

From 100 years ago: The Spokane County Sheriff issued a stern warming on Halloween morning: “No rough stuff” would be tolerated.

In past years, Spokane’s Halloween nights had been filled with vandalism, property damage and rowdyism. The sheriff said he was putting his entire force on night duty, and they would “be instructed to tolerate no disorder.”

“We want to see everyone enjoy the occasion, but their pleasure must not be at the expense of other people’s rights and property,” the sheriff said.