The Economic Impact of the Chicago Marathon

So, I'm excited about this weekend and seeing friends!! Oh, there's a little race in Chicago on Sunday too!!!

I came across this video about the economic impact of the Chicago Marathon, check it out:

http://ahead.bankofamerica.com/local/chicago/the-chicago-marathon-contributes-170-million-in-economic-impact-to-chicago/?cm_mmc=EBZ-Corp_SocialResponsibility-_-TribuneInteractive-_-Chicago_RichMedia_Marathon-_-Chicago_Tribune_Local_News_300x250_1x1_CC_RM2

There's no doubt a marathon has a large economic impact. When I think of the marathons I've done in Philly, DC, CA, FL, etc., there is airfare, car rentals, hotels, many meals, souvenirs, frantic shopping for stuff I forgot, etc. Plus sight seeing. And of course the marathon fee. So although the cities pay for police to close streets and that, they more than make it up with all the money spent.

JohnP wrote:There's no doubt a marathon has a large economic impact. When I think of the marathons I've done in Philly, DC, CA, FL, etc., there is airfare, car rentals, hotels, many meals, souvenirs, frantic shopping for stuff I forgot, etc. Plus sight seeing. And of course the marathon fee. So although the cities pay for police to close streets and that, they more than make it up with all the money spent.

No doubt... Not to mention the fan support that each runner brings with them.

Yeah when we drove to Chicago for the 50/50, we stayed 3 nights and did fun vacation tourist stuff (how do you people stay away from the art museum, that is sooooo awesome!) so we did give them some $, as almost any marathon will attract.

I know people say stuff about the runners who travel to Lincoln for the marathon between hotels, food, and whatever else, people do put money into a city when they run there. After I ran Cowtown in Ft Worth, that was part of a post-race survey, how many nights I stayed, if I ate there, did any tourist stuff, how much we spent in Ft Worth. Sure some races are get there the night before, run all morning, shower and drive back home but Chicago definitely has more than average interesting things to keep people an extra day or two to see.