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Skating to riches

Ice event expected to bring millions of dollars to region

Paula Davenport  •  Staff writer
Published January 21, 2007

Pedestrians walk in skywalks adorned with figure skating paintings above Main Street Wednesday afternoon. Organizers say $30 million could flow into Spokane as a result of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. (HOLLY PICKETT The Spokesman-Review ) Seating capacity Two ice skating rinks will host the many events and practices of the State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The Spokane Arena's rink will offer seating for about 9,730 people, and the Spokane Convention Center, about 3,000.

With its sparkling new convention center, refreshed hotels and "skating- friendly" ambiance, Spokane is ready for its big reveal.

Business and civic leaders say the impression it makes as host of the eight-day 2007 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships could generate between $15 million and $30 million. Events open today and continue through Jan. 28 at both the Spokane Arena and Spokane Convention Center.

While it's impossible this early to predict the championship's final economic impact, businesses are bound to get a bump during what is normally the slowest, ice-cold month of the year, say tourism officials.

"There's a lot of excitement — a tremendous, positive buzz about this event," said Rich Hadley, president and CEO of the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce, which has about 1,400 member businesses.

Economic impact is defined as the amount of skating-generated revenue retained in a community in three areas; household, corporate and government income or taxes, explained Webster University economist Patrick Rishe, a St. Louis-based expert in sports marketing and business.

St. Louis hosted the 2006 skating championships. As a rule, Rishe said, a city will receive between 40 and 60 percent of sporting-event-generated revenue.

The St. Louis Chamber of Commerce reported a $17.7 million economic benefit as the championships' host city last year, said Frank Viverto, president of the St. Louis Sports Commission.

But it's the intangible benefits that can be endless, he said.

"When you add it all up, the chance to show off in the national media, the financial impact on local figure skaters and (increased) quality of life, you don't have to justify it by a number," Viverto said. "You simply know there's great value and great impact in having this in the community."

Locally, Spokane's rinks are expected to bring in 60,000 or more fans, about 60 percent of whom will travel 100 miles or more to get here, said Barb Beddor, who with husband Toby Steward runs Star USA Inc., the Spokane-based company organizing the championships.

Between hotels, meals, shopping and souvenirs, visitors could shell out more than $225 per person each day they're here, said Todd Woodard, director of marketing and public relations at Spokane International Airport. Figures come from a recent travel survey conducted by the airport, he said.

Indeed, skating fans tend to be rather affluent, said Harry Sladich, president and CEO of the Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau. They like to dine in different restaurants every night, hit the malls and see all the sights.

"These fans are insanely rabid," Sladich said. "They're like Canadian shoppers — they're here to spend money."

On top of that, 250 skaters a total of 1,250 officials, coaches and staff and 300 journalists will participate. They've booked the equivalent of 8,500 hotel "room nights" for their stay and are also known for their proclivity to try out a variety of restaurants and visit local attractions.

"It's a great piece of business for the winter," said Matt Jensen, director of sales and marketing for the sold-out Davenport Hotel and Tower, the official headquarter hotel.

Typically, nearly 60 percent of Spokane's approximately 6,500 hotel/motel rooms are vacant in January. Though some downtown hotels are booked solid for several nights during the event, projected occupancy rates for January are not available yet.

Holding the championships, Jensen said, "is going to boost everybody's occupancy for the month." Rooms in Spokane, on average, rent for $75 a night.

Organizers hope to sell 150,000 tickets, which would break the 2002 Los Angeles record of 125,345. At press time, 121,805 tickets had been sold. Admission to Spokane events ranges from $495 for an all-event package to $15 to $98 for individual events.

Having beauty shots of the city shown between breaks in 17-hours of skating coverage on ABC-TV, ESPN and ESPN2, is a perk the city couldn't otherwise afford, say city and tourism officials.

More television viewers watch figure skating than the NBA All-Star game and the Daytona 500, organizers say. And the event reaches a female audience that for the most part tunes out male-dominated sports programs.

"We're going to capitalize on this," said Sladich. "Meeting planners are typically female. We'd like to reach 10 planners and get 10 conventions with 2,500 delegates each."

That would help catapult Spokane into the ranks of most-desirable vacation, conference and meeting destinations.

The excitement of the competitions will spill over to three area skating clubs, which will receive donations from the event's profits.

"Everyone involved with ice skating should benefit, not only our club but the ice arena (home of the Spokane Chiefs). It should give a real nice boost," Deby Ritter, board member of the Lilac City Figure Skating Club, said of the event.

Spokane beat out Boston in its bid to host the championships and is the smallest city in recent memory chosen to hold the event. Among the stars will be the city's new, elliptically-shaped Convention Center, completed in June. A smooth run could beget other big events ordinarily held in larger markets, said Kevin Twohig, executive director of the Spokane Public Facilities District.

"Only one city a year gets to do this in the entire USA," Twohig said, "so it's a big deal."