Mayor: Gary can't afford air show without corporate sponsor

GARY, Ind. -- Gary's mayor says she's ready to cancel this year's air show if the northwest Indiana city can't find a corporate sponsor by Monday.

Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said in a Friday statement that Gary can't incur roughly $350,000 in debt under current financial conditions. The airshow in the Lake Michigan community began in 2000. Hundreds of thousands of people usually attend.

The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports that city spokeswoman LaLosa Burns says Monday is the deadline for the city to notify participating air teams. She says the city contributes about $50,000 toward the Gary Air Show, which is used for public safety. But it cannot afford the rest.

The show was canceled in 2013 because of federal budget cuts and in 2014 because Gary couldn't afford safety costs, including ambulances.