Prairie State Wire

Speaking during a recent Senate Tourism and Hospitality hearing, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said she is hopeful outdoor events can return to the state by summer, followed by the likes of conventions and trade shows a few months later, Capitol Fax reported. 

Mendoza said the days when the state can resume holding big-ticket events continue to be a process, with COVID-19 and vaccination rates figuring heavily into the timeline.

At the same hearing, local business leaders complained that they're handcuffed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Phase 4 restrictions in his 'Restore Illinois' plan.

With the federal government now indicating that vaccinations could be available to the entire population over the next three months, business leaders pressed the committee about ramping things up to Phase 5, which paves the way for events to be held across the state in varying capacities.