Economist wrote:
907Tri wrote:
Economist wrote:
Can you expand on this? I'm assuming you're talking about Grand Bvld.
My team does a lot of economic impact studies, and I've noticed an increase in tension between the community and event organizers. Doesn't matter the event (carnival, festival, parade, race, etc.). It seems like communities are focused more on the cost of inconvenience (a tangible cost) vs the economic benefit (intangible benefit). Thus, I get requests from organizers to help explain the intangible benefit to community organizers. Traverse City 70.3 is a good example of this.
Not to hijeck this thread, but when I was in Kona this winter and I talked to our airbnb host and other locals. This was what a lot of them said..."The financial gain is no longer worth the disruption to our lives for the 2 weeks." In short, they feel the aloha way of life is greatly disrupted during that time and they want that more than the cash flow.
I am sure many more smaller commutes could potentially feel this way.
Itās possible to show them the benefit of an event and what impact it has on taxes. Example, potential increases in taxes to compensate for lost tax revenue if the event leaves. I forgot what community had a vote on not renewing a long term event (festival) and also had a vote on millage increase to compensate for the lost tax revenue. Millage was defeated, event was renewed.
Another thing to note is that Benton Harbor where Steelhead is actually hosted receives very little benefit from the event itself, tangible or otherwise. The majority of triathletes are not going to want to stay in many hotels in BH and book in neighboring towns st joe and Stevensville.
I donāt want to venture into political territory but the demographic makeup of BH is not one that traditionally gets involved in small town local politics. So if thereās a few āout of townersā that come one or two weeks a year and own a house are complaining theyāre going to get their way.
Additionally thereās not a ton of people coming into town during the summer to preride the course and actually stay because many athletes live within a couple hour drive and make it a day trip. Also the run course is advertised as a donāt prerun it because the large chunk thatās on private property and only open for race day. I think steelhead is a case where the only reason it was a Ironman race is an existing half was owned and ran and they were making a ton of money off it once IM bought it. The instant numbers went down due to covid its time was limited.