(Media release) Saturday’s NAIA Football National Championship is expected to have an economic impact of over $1 million, the Greater Rome Convention & Visitors Bureau announced Tuesday.
GRCVB officials estimate that over 2,000 out-of-town visitors are expected to travel into Rome for the weekend. Additionally, more than 3,000 locals are expected to attend the match-up between Carroll College from Montana and the University of Sioux Falls from South Dakota.
Saturday’s game will be played at Barron Stadium, kicking off at 4:30 p.m. It will be broadcast on CBS College Sports.
The event is estimated to bring approximately 1,100 hotel room nights to Rome from Wednesday, Dec. 15 to Saturday, Dec. 18.
Teams are housed in the Holiday Inn Express and the Country Inn and Suites. Fans and officials are spread throughout the city’s 30 other hotels.
Since the same teams from the 2008 inaugural match-up in Rome are returning, they have developed a familiarity with Rome and Floyd County. “These groups now know our venues, restaurants and attractions. They seem to be extending their trip to experience even more of the city,” said Lisa Smith, executive director of the GRCVB.
Significant impact was also generated by the addition of sponsor and booster club tailgating. Both schools and numerous sponsors have spent dollars on catering and rentals for their pre-game events.
This year the championship game was moved from 12:00pm to 4:30pm. In addition to promoting an extra night’s stay in Rome from visitors, the time change was also strategic for public image. “Football simply looks better on camera when under the lights at night,” said Ann Hortman, sports marketing and event coordinator for GRCVB.
The championship has a $1.8 million impact in 2009 and $1.55 million in 2008.
Rome will host the NAIA Football National Championship through 2015.
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