- ILLUSTRATION BY EDEL TRIPP/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Region's economic development officials expect to reap benefits from Historic Half

Date published: 5/17/2008

By PAMELA GOULD

Runners and spectators at the 31st Marine Corps Marathon in 2006 spent $31.7 million on food, lodging, souvenirs and other expenses, generating nearly $2.3 million in tax revenue during the annual event in Arlington and Washington.

While organizers and Fredericksburg-area officials don't expect to see that magnitude of impact from the inaugural running of the Marine Corps Historic Half marathon in Fredericksburg, they do expect tomorrow's race and this weekend's associated activities to provide an economic boost to the area.

"The whole region will benefit from this," said Fredericksburg economic development director Kevin Gullette. "I think everybody's going to feel the spillover."

Runners have booked 600 hotel rooms--half of them for two nights--in the city and in Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, according to Brian Schend, director of corporate operations for Chicago-based Travel Technology Group, which handled online booking for race participants.

And with marathon runners' parties averaging three to four people, organizers estimate this race could bring as many as 24,000 people to the city.

To take full advantage of the throng, events have been planned to showcase both the historic downtown area of Fredericksburg and to draw them to the retail mecca of Central Park and the adjoining tourism development of Celebrate Virginia.

Arts and music are planned for downtown while the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center in Celebrate Virginia is serving as the hub for the half marathon.

The Expo center marks the starting point and finish line for the 13.1-mile race. It also plays host to the two-day Healthy Lifestyle Expo, where 50 vendors will be on hand, and tonight's carbohydrate-loading event, a pasta dinner open to 500 people that features Vienna, Va., native Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Mara-thon.

Expo owner Tom Ballantine and local economic development directors are excited about the spotlight the event is shining on the region and envision its impact extending well beyond one weekend.

"We're obviously extremely pleased and proud to host such a high-profile event," Ballantine said. "It's just great exposure for everybody."

Marine Corps Historic Half preliminary numbers Hotel rooms booked through Marine Corps Historic Half Web site: 600 rooms, 900 room nights Runners from foreign countries: 25* Runners from outside Virginia: 2,011* Runners from outside Fredericksburg region: 3,957 of the first 5,000 registered Number of expo vendors: approximately 50 *Data as of May 12, 2008 Economic impact of the 31st Marine Corps Marathon, held Oct. 29, 2006 $31.7 million--money spent on food, lodging, entertainment, local transportation and retail purchases $2.29 million--tax revenue generated 95,681--total runners and spectators 74,552--number of people who traveled from outside the Washington area for the event 31,217--total runners 23,081--runners from outside the Washington area $1,201--average spent by out-of-area runners' groups during stay $372--average spent per out-of-area visitor $119--average spent per day per out-of-area visitor 91--percent of runners who spent one or more nights in local lodging 3.23--average size of group (runner plus spectators) 3.1--average number of nights spent by runner and his or her party --International Institute of Tourism Studies, George Washington University, April 2007 report on economic impact of 31st Marine Corps Marathon For more information on the Marine Corps Historic Half: fredericksburg.com/News/Web/ 2008/052008/HistoricHalf MARINE CORPS MARATHON Distance: 26.2 miles Year: 33rd race is Oct. 26, 2008 Location: runs from Arlington through Washington and back to Arlington, ending at the Marine Corps War Memorial Runners: 30,000 MARINE CORPS HISTORIC HALF Distance: 13.1 miles Year: first Location: city of Fredericksburg, from the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center, through downtown Fredericksburg and back to the Expo Center Runners: maximum 6,000

Date published: 5/17/2008