FAA wants $500,000 or No AirVenture That adds up to $10,000 per AirTraffic Controller

[Wrongway Feldman]

So, what I am really wondering is why the controllers for the show are paid, in the first place.
I thought the entire show was run by volunteers, with a few exceptions.

That is exactly what the FAA is missing! They don't get it, EAA AirVenture was built by Volunteers!