Football season brings millions to Johnson County
The average group that comes to a Hawkeye football game leave Iowa City with more than memories —the fans also depart with their wallets nearly $1,000 lighter.
A pilot study by the Iowa City Coralville area Convention and Visitors Bureau and University of Iowa graduate students found that a typical party of three to four people who stay in a local hotel spend an average of $944 on a Hawkeye football weekend.
That added up to just over $100 million for the entire home season last year. And officials expect similar results this year.
Students and bureau members surveyed visitors during the weekend of the Nov. 7, 2009, Northwestern game and found an average game generates roughly $14.5 million for Johnson County.
"I certainly wasn't surprised by those numbers," said Josh Shamberger, the president of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Frankly, $100 million is easy to add up to when you look at it in a per-game standpoint. It seemed pretty conceivable to me."
That has many business owners excited.
"We are always prepared for the fans who come," said Leah Cohen, the owner of Bo-James, 118 E. Washington Street. "We start actually about Monday and Tuesday, getting the place stocked."
And with an influx of customers, the staff members need all the time they can get to be prepared.
"I would say probably five times more — it can be as high as that," Cohen said about the number of patrons who visit her restaurant during a game-day weekend, as opposed to a non-football weekend.
And they also need a place to sleep.
The Coralville Marriot, a 286-room hotel, is fully booked for two upcoming home games and very close to being booked on the rest, said front-desk supervisor Nathan Wakeen.
All the incoming money does more than fuel hotels and restaurants.
The hotel and motel tax helps fund several city departments, including the police force. City Councilor Connie Champion explained a loss of attendance during football weekends would also result in a loss of revenue for the city.
"People are spending money here. One percent of sales tax goes to schools. One percent goes to flood relief," she said. "Whatever they are purchasing they are helping our local economy."
The study also estimated 51,000 visitors flock to Iowa City for each home game.
"You will have people come to town just to be here," Champion said. "During this economy, football Saturdays help keep the downtown very vibrant; there are literally thousands of people down there."
And no one expects things to slow down this year.
"Without question, this particular fall schedule is probably the greatest home schedule in Iowa football history for hotels," Shamberger said. "Whenever you get a chance to host Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Ohio State — all of those teams travel very well."
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