Economic impact on the Pacific Crest weekend events

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Sunriver Scene-June 2009
Volume XXXV-Number 6

More than 4,000 athletes are expected to descend on Sunriver for the 13th annual Pacific Crest Weekend Sports Festival taking place June 26-28. The Village at Sunriver will be transformed into an “athletes village” with a high tech finish line that automatically records racers’ times, registration center, a health and fitness expo and vendor booths filling the village courtyard to capacity.

Some events, including a kids Splash, Pedal-n-Dash Triathlon, occupy parking areas around the village. All or portions of several races are run on Sunriver’s pathway system. In a word, Sunriver gets busy. Locals and non-resident owners visiting their homes over the weekend should expect to encounter racers on the pathways, crowds of people in the village and traffic congestion around Sunriver’s main entrance and throughout the core area.

“The Pacific Crest is an incredible showcase for Sunriver. As a community, we could never afford to buy such outstanding and widespread promotion of Sunriver as a visitor and vacation destination,” said Dennis Smeage, president and CEO of the Sunriver Area Chamber of Commerce. “Sure, we must put up with the extra traffic on our roads and congestion on our pathways, but it’s a small price to pay for putting the spotlight on Sunriver and all that we have to offer.”

With the crowds comes an immediate economic impact (estimated at more than $5 million) that boosts Sunriver’s lodging, retail and restaurant industry during an otherwise quiet time of year.

The National Travel Association uses a multiplier of $112 per person per day for the impact of guests coming from out of the area. The $112 figure includes lodging, dining, shopping and recreation. “We have averaged over 4,000 participants over the last several years coming from an average of 45 states and five foreign countries each year.

The majority of those participating have brought a very conservative average of two additional people with them. Their average length of stay has increased from two days to four days since the events inception.

“Twelve thousand people multiplied by $112 per day multiplied by four days totals $5,376,000 in economic impact. These figures do not take into consideration the vendors or the volunteers traveling here from outside the area. I would estimate those numbers to be around 100. Using the same formula we could easily justify adding $50,000 to the participant figure.”

Pacific Crest organizers toot Sunriver’s horn at every turn. In their publicity materials, Pacific Crest glows about the marathon race course that “circles Sunriver Resort on widely paved and very scenic bike paths… that will take you through meadows and forests, past rivers and beautifully landscaped golf greens and summer homes.”

Organizers and sponsors entice participants with descriptions of Sunriver’s idyllic early summer weather. "Days range in the mid-seventies with nights cooling down to the lower to mid forties. Sunriver is ideally located in Central Oregon approximately 15 miles south of Bend and within easy traveling distance…” of metropolitan areas throughout the West coast.

The festival begins on Friday morning and continues through Sunday. The weekend includes a health and fitness expo, food, beer garden, live entertainment and award ceremonies.