George C. Ford, CR Gazette –
IOWA CITY — The recent 2012 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials at the University of Iowa generated a projected $5.6 million economic impact for Johnson County.
A study released Friday by the Iowa City-Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau showed the average visitor spent $201 and the average expenditure per party was $707. The event attracted 14,214 fans, including 11,655 or 82 percent who were from outside of Johnson County.
The convention and visitors bureau was assisted in conducting the survey by a team of students selected by lecturer Dan Matheson in the University of Iowa’s Recreation and Sports Business program.
One hundred and seventy nine randomly selected fans at thee area hotels, the ASICS Fan Fest in downtown Iowa City and Carver-Hawkeye Arena were asked to complete surveys between April 20 and April 22. The students determined that 171 of the surveys were completed correctly.
Three percent of the respondents who were in Iowa City for the trials did not attend the event. They reported being on the UI campus for other events and retail activities.
The U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials attracted record-breaking crowds. The Session I attendance of 13,784 was a single-session record for the event, breaking the previous-day mark of 13,750.
