The fourth iteration of the USA Pro Challenge bicycling race across Colorado in August once again drew more than 1 million spectators. But the weeklong race this time stirred a whopping $130 million economic impact from the roughly quarter million spectators who traveled to Colorado to watch the race.
“It was overall our best year,” said race organizer Shawn Hunter, who counts the Stage 7 race from Boulder through Golden into Denver as potentially the top stage in the history of the race in terms of spectator numbers.
It was the visitors who delivered the most impact. Hunter said roughly 27 percent of the total spectator count — estimated at about 1.1 million — came from out of state.
Those traveling bike fans contributed mightily, according to the report assembled by British research firm Sponsorship Science. Colorado residents traveling more than 50 miles, and out-of-state spectators fueled the 12 percent increase in economic impact over the 2013 race. The average number of nights spent in host-city hotels grew 10 percent to 5.3 nights.
More than 70 percent of spectators surveyed said they would return to Colorado in 2015 to watch the race. Sponsorship Science said the $130 million net impact did not include spending by local residents. The firm also filtered responses to include only data from spectators who traveled specifically to see the race.
