FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tom Koch
HighlandPR
(330) 996-4140
Jack Staph
Cleveland Marathon, Inc.
(216) 378-0140
2004 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon/10K
Generates More Than $6.8 Million Economic Impact
CLEVELAND, Ohio - (August 27, 2004) - An economic impact study has
concluded that the 2004 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K generated more
than $6.8 million for the greater Cleveland economy. The study of the April
25, 2004 race was conducted by Forward Analytics, a full service market
research and strategic planning firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, Penn. It
found that the running community is very supportive of the Rite Aid
Cleveland Marathon & 10K and runners view it as a "must do" event. Now in
its 28th year and one of the 50 longest running marathons in the country,
the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K has put ΒΌ million runners on the
streets of Cleveland and given back more than $1 million to charity.
Direct spending by runners and their families and friends during the 2004
race weekend totaled more than $2 million. Spending went for food at
restaurants, entertainment, retail purchases, ground transportation,
gasoline, lodging and purchases at the health and fitness expo at the
Galleria at Erieview.
"I am very pleased by the results of this research, which supports our
belief that the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K is important not only
because it draws national attention to the city of Cleveland every year,
but also because of the financial impact it has on both the Cleveland and
Cuyahoga County economy," said Jack Staph, president of Cleveland Marathon
Corp. and executive director of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K.
The findings of the study do not include the impact of all the spectators
who are not friends and family members of runners. As such, the impact
findings should be considered a conservative measure.
Some 6,000 runners participated in the 27th Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon &
10K in April, and more than 5,500 came from outside the city of Cleveland.
Forward Analytics' research determined that each runner was accompanied by
a mean 2.45 friends or family members. In addition to the direct spending
of runners and their families and friends totaling $2,086,891, there was an
additional $3,547,715 generated through re-spending of those dollars, known
as the multiplier effect.
The marathon also provided a financial impact to the state of Ohio,
Cuyahoga County and the city of Cleveland in the form of tax revenue that
included sales, hotel, and state gasoline excise taxes. Ohio's piece of the
tax pie was $139,010; Cuyahoga County gained $43,945 and the city of
Cleveland $17,220.
"We received a 30 percent response rate, which was more than needed to
achieve statistical significance," said Candace Campbell, Managing Director
of Forward Analytics, who led the marathon impact and satisfaction study.
"The response rate and data both emphasize a strong connection to the event
and its host city," added Campbell.
Forward Analytics also surveyed runners participating in the 2004 race
about their satisfaction regarding various aspects of the marathon and 10K.
"One of the most significant findings coming out of the survey was that by
better than a 5-to-1 margin, the runners prefer a half-marathon over the
current two-person relay," said Jack Staph. "So, in 2005, we will be
replacing the two-person marathon relay with a half marathon event." A new,
half-marathon course is currently being designed.
The date of the 2005 event has also been moved from late April to May 22 to
coincide with the Rite Aid Health & Beauty EXPO scheduled for the Cleveland
Convention Center on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21. Because of the
potential for warmer weather in late May, the marathon and 10K will have an
earlier start. The marathon will now start at 7:00am followed by the 10K at
7:20am.
The economic impact study utilized post-event surveys to collect spending
data (and satisfaction levels) among the runners and accompanying friends
and family. The Forward Analytics study is available at
www.forwardanalytics.com as well as the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon
website, www.clevelandmarathon.com, where there is also additional
information about registration for the 2005 event in May.
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