A great tour that is quickly growing into a larger presence in Sacramento and will amplify the profile of the already well-known American River Parkway.
Tour of California benefit to area estimated at $3.6 million
Beyond hotel rooms and meals, the event will bring exposure.
By M.S. Enkoji - menkoji@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, February 15, 2008
When it breezes through town Tuesday, the Amgen Tour of California is expected to generate an estimated $3.6 million for the local economy, more than triple what it did last year, according to local organizers.
Besides hotel and dining receipts, the premier cycling race generates benefits for the capital city that won't ring up on any cash register – at least not yet.
"These things are résumé builders," said Mike Testa, a spokesman for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Worldwide exposure for the Sacramento region helps to draw more events and prove the town has what it takes to host them, Testa said. "There's also a local effect for the people who live here: pride," he said.
That moment on the international stage for the hometown crowd is, well, priceless.
Organizers estimate 40,000 people, from fans to mildly interested observers, will swell the streets during the race – as many as populate the town of West Sacramento.
