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XtremeRacing
09-03-2009, 09:09 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=25554&TM=40297.2

Ratickle
09-03-2009, 09:25 AM
When I clicked on it a Trojan Horse warning came up.

XtremeRacing
09-03-2009, 10:05 AM
Boat race leaves county $6M richer
MICHIGAN CITY - The La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau announced Monday that the inaugural 2009 Great Lakes Grand Prix offshore powerboat race injected more than $6 million into the local economy.

A study commissioned by the La Porte County CVB showed that the 80,000-plus spectators who attended the three-day event in early August injected nearly $5 million into the local economy simply through ancillary expenditures like dining and shopping. Add in gaming and lodging revenues and the total rises above $6 million, according to a statement from the bureau.

"We couldn't be happier at the results of this study. The economic impact on Michigan City and La Porte County as a whole is wonderful," La Porte County CVB Executive Director Jack Arnett said. "We knew this event would be huge for the area and we're very glad that assumption was proven through this study."

CVB officials also noted that several out-of-town visitors in the area for the boat race had to secure lodging in Porter and St. Joseph counties in Indiana, and in Berrien County, Mich., as hotel rooms in La Porte County booked full by mid-week. Spectators jammed Washington Park all weekend, causing police to close off traffic on Pine Street between U.S. 12 and Washington Park by 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

"So many of the racers and race officials told us that in all their years in this sport, they've never seen such huge crowds at a first-time event and had never seen so many spectator boats at any event," CVB Sports Development Manager Jason Miller said. "They were really impressed with Michigan City, the people, the facility and race site."

More than 500 spectator boats lined up on the outside of the race course Sunday, lining the back stretch of the course from the Michigan City East Pier Lighthouse to Stop 20.

The La Porte County CVB thanked the Michigan City Parks Department, Michigan City Port Authority, Michigan City Police Department, Michigan City Fire Department and Emergency Management volunteers for their hard work and dedication to the event, as well as Michigan City Mayor Chuck Oberlie and Joe Doyle and the Michigan City Summer Festival Committee.