Illinois Administrative Code › Title 92 - TRANSPORTATION › Part 543 - TOURISM ATTRACTION SIGNING PROGRAM › Section 543.400 - Criteria for Tourism Attraction Signs

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a) Attraction Categories
In order to be considered for tourism attraction signs, the
				attraction must fall under one of the categories listed in subsections (a)(1)
				through (a)(19) of this Section. Additionally, the attraction, except as
				otherwise provided, must have adequate legal parking; must be open to the
				public a minimum of 100 days per year; must have drinking water and Americans
				with Disabilities Act compliant restroom facilities at or near the site; and
				must have minimum annual attendance consistent with the categories listed as
				follows.
1) Agri-Tourism Site: An
			 established area where consumers can interact with Illinois agricultural
			 producers for the purpose of tours, education or other rural recreational
			 experiences or to purchase and/or pick pumpkins and other produce directly from
			 the producer. The facility must offer a variety of agri-tourism related
			 entertainment, including, but not limited to, activities such as hayrack rides,
			 farm animals, corn mazes, etc. The facility must offer concessions and restroom
			 facilities, with a minimum annual attendance of 5,000.
2) Amusement Park/Fairgrounds/Recreational
			 and Entertainment Complex: A park, fairground, or recreational and
			 entertainment complex that supplies refreshments and multiple activities of
			 entertainment and recreation, with a minimum annual attendance of
			 50,000.
3) Antique Shopping Areas:
			 A stand alone facility with a group of at least 40 vendors or 30,000 square
			 feet of space that specializes in the sale of antique items or an area
			 concentrated within a mile radius offering five or more individual antique
			 shops that specialize in the sale of antique items.
4) Arena/Performance Center: A stadium,
			 sports complex, auditorium, civic center, racetrack, convention center or
			 cultural center, with a minimum annual attendance of 50,000.
5) Botanical/Zoological Facility: A
			 collection of unique living plants/animals that are kept and exhibited to the
			 public, with a minimum annual attendance of 25,000. Zoos shall be members of,
			 or accredited by, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association or other similar
			 organization.
6) Brewery: An
			 establishment that manufactures and produces malt liquors, such as beer and
			 ale, on the premises. It must be open to the public offering tours and must
			 offer an organized tasting and/or sampling opportunity for the visitor with an
			 option to purchase. The facility must be accessible with public restrooms and a
			 minimum annual attendance of 5,000.
7) Entertainment/Dining/Shopping District: An
			 area concentrated within a half-mile radius offering a variety of
			 entertainment, dining and shopping venues.
8) Gambling/Wagering Facility: An off-track
			 wagering facility or a riverboat casino authorized and regulated by the State
			 of Illinois.
9) Golf Course: An
			 area of land laid out for golf with a minimum of 9 holes, each including tee,
			 fairway, and putting green, and often one or more natural or artificial hazards
			 and open to the public, with a minimum annual attendance of 15,000. Miniature
			 golf courses, driving ranges, chip-and-putt courses and indoor golf courses are
			 not eligible to participate in the program.
10) Historic Shopping District: A shopping
			 district with a minimum of seven stores in restored structures that is marketed
			 as a historic shopping district or area.
11) Historic Site: A structure, district, or
			 landmark listed by the IHPA as being of historical significance, with an annual
			 minimum attendance of 5,000. State sites maintained by the IHPA, the IDNR, and
			 the Department are exempt from the requirements of this Part. Sites promoting
			 the same historic event or person should be combined as one logo on a sign
			 (i.e., Lincoln Sites, Frank Lloyd Wright Sites).
12) Marina: A sheltered harbor adjacent to a
			 navigable waterway where boats are kept in the water and recreational boating
			 services are provided. This category is considered a seasonal
			 attraction.
13) Museum: An
			 organized and permanent institution, with professional staff, in which works of
			 artistic, historical or scientific value are cared for and exhibited to the
			 public, with a minimum annual attendance of 15,000. Museums shall be members
			 of, or accredited by, the American Association of Museums, the Illinois
			 Association of Museums, the Association of Midwest Museums, or some other
			 similar organization.
14) Orchard:
			 An established area or facility where consumers can purchase or pick fresh
			 Illinois food products directly from Illinois producers, with a minimum annual
			 attendance of 5,000. The facility shall include a general store.
15) River Excursion: A non-gaming riverboat
			 sightseeing excursion, with a minimum annual attendance of 5,000.
16) Shopping Center: A group of stores
			 arranged in one or more buildings with the stores in any one building separated
			 by floor to ceiling partitions and having, in Cook, DuPage and Lake Counties, a
			 minimum of 150 stores and, in all other counties, a minimum of 45
			 stores.
17) State or National
			 Park/Forest/Wild Life Area: An area designated by a unit of government that
			 provides activities such as fishing, picnicking, hiking, swimming, boating, and
			 sporting events, with a minimum annual attendance of 15,000.
18) Unique Attractions: Areas of special
			 interest that have a minimum annual attendance of 5,000, including, but not
			 limited to:
A) ATV Parks - a park designed to
			 allow visitors to drive All-Terrain Vehicles on a designated surface.
B) Comedy Clubs - open to the public with
			 regularly scheduled performances.
C) Disc Golf - a disc game in which
			 individual players throw a flying disc into a basket/target.
D) Rock Climbing - facilities open to the
			 public with equipment designed to allow visitors to climb rocks.
E) Sky Diving - facilities open to the public
			 allowing the visitor to jump from a plane using certified jumping
			 equipment/gear.
F) Sport Shooting
			 Clubs - facilities open to the public that offer the visitor an opportunity to
			 shoot five stand, skeet, trap or sporting clays.
G) Landmarks that have been internationally
			 or nationally recognized for their uniqueness.
19) Winery: A facility, open to the public
			 with regularly scheduled hours, that holds an Illinois
			 1st or 2nd Class
			 Winemakers License or an Illinois 1st or
			 2nd Class Wine Manufacturer License and ferments
			 more than 200 gallons per year and offers educational tours of the Illinois
			 winemaking process in an Illinois winery that is associated with a tasting room
			 and has a minimum annual attendance of 5,000.