The estimates are in for last year's Illinois High School Association state football championships held Nov. 29-30 at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb.
Daily Chronicle - IHSA Destination DeKalb Economic Impact Recap
Debbie Armstrong, Executive Director for the DeKalb County Convention & Visitors Bureau, provided WNIJ the recap of revenue generated from the event. It includes:
- At least 425 hotel room nights were booked for the event
- 30,000 visitors attended (up from the 26,800 reported for 2013)
- Some local restaurants reported a 35-40% increase in sales from last Thanksgiving weekend
- Gas stations reported an increase in sales from the previous year
- The DeKalb Oasis estimated they did twice the business for gas and food
- Approximately 6,000 people visited the community hospitality tent in the Spirit Zone
- More than 200 community volunteers represented DeKalb County as hospitality/tourism ambassadors
In the recap, Armstrong says she feels confident that the economic impact from the weekend was at least $800,000 based on the data gathered and estimates that the Illinois Office of Tourism provided to help gauge the economic impact of sporting events. The estimate included indirect and direct spending on hotels, food, gas, facility rental, tent suppliers, catering and other services provided by people taking part in or attending the event.
DeKalb will again host the finals November 27-28, 2015.
