The Tide took care of business at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Monday, and the city of New Orleans brought in hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. Experts estimate about half a billion dollars flowed into the city’s economy during the week of the BCS Championship Game.
“It was an excellent turnout, and I think people will be very, very happy [financially],” James Richardson, LSU economics professor, said. “There are estimates of having an impact of 500 million dollars over that short period of time.”
The expected total is more than the $412.4 million economic impact New Orleans saw in 2008 when it hosted the Sugar Bowl and National Championship game. That was the first year the city hosted two Bowl Championship Series games.
The economic impact of the bowl games goes towards supporting jobs and tax revenues from sales and hotels that support the state and local government, but Richardson said there is also more than just an economic advantage.
“The other impact you’re having is [the bowl games] bring a certain notoriety to New Orleans,” he said. “It makes people aware of it, and you get some great pictures on TV at night in terms of the riverfront and downtown area. In that sense, there’s an advertising value that’s hard to put a value on.”
While the BCS Championship Game was the main event, there were other noted sporting events that took place in The Big Easy in the past month. The New Orleans Bowl took place Dec. 17, but the big week of events started with the All State Sugar Bowl between Michigan and Virginia Tech. The New Orleans Saints also began their run for a Super Bowl at home two days before the championship game.
Having thousands of people hit the New Orleans streets is nothing new to those who call the city home. Professor Moore said the city is used to the big crowd, and that Mardi Gras brings in about three times as many people.
Nevertheless, the city had a plan in place to prepare for the week.
“The city administration, under the leadership of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, conducted a series of table top exercises to review the events and city services necessary to support the events,” said Mark Romig, CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation. “Communication amongst various departments was stressed and realized, and the implementation plan was put into place. We know how to handle large crowds and we believe we accomplished our goals of ensuring a safe and fun environment for our visitors.”
It’s been years since Hurricane Katrina ravaged through the city, and it’s getting back to being a top tourist attraction, especially in the sports world. Romig said the city has an outline of events planned for the next couple of years.
“We have entered an historic and unprecedented period in our history – more national and international events than we believe any American city has hosted in a short period of time,” Romig said.
The Men’s College Basketball Final Four will be held in New Orleans this year, and the women’s next year. New Orleans is set to host the Super Bowl, Sugar Bowl and SEC Tournament in 2013, along with annual festivals such as Mardi Gras and Essence Music Festival.
