TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The World Athletics Cross Country Championships is on Saturday, and Leon County expects $4.3 million to pour back into the county and local businesses.
- The event is expected to bring additional foot traffic to Leon County as 200+ international athletes and at least 5,000 spectators flock to Apalachee Regional Park.
- This marks the first time the event has been held in the United States since 1992 – a full circle moment for Leon County Government, which began investing in turning the park into a premier course back in 2009.
- Watch the video below to hear how the event will have economic impacts beyond the finish line.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Just like Justin mentioned, there's a lot of hype and excitement ahead of the big championship.
I’m Brieanna Smith, your Northeast Tallahassee neighborhood reporter, exploring how an influx athletes into our region can contribute to our local economy.
Hundreds of athletes expected to hit the trails, thousands of spectators expected to watch, and millions of dollars expected to pour into the local economy.
We talked to Leon County Commission Chair Christian Caban, who says the event has a projected $4.3 million in economic impact for local businesses.
The county has partnered with local hotels and businesses and national vendors to host teams from over 50 countries and about 5,000 spectators.
“This shows that we can compete on a national scale and a global scale to host primetime events like this, and this is going to benefit our businesses,” Caban said. “This is going to benefit local businesses, our families, and I’m so thankful that they chose to do this here in Leon County …
This marks the first time the event has been held in the United States since 1992 – a full circle moment for Leon County Government, which began investing in turning the park into a premier course back in 2009.
Since then, Leon County has invested more than $3 million into widening the course, landscaping, and upgrading its facilities.
Caban says he believes having a global spotlight on Tallahassee during this competition will continue to benefit the county’s economy even after the race ends.
In Northeast Tallahassee, Brieanna Smith, ABC 27.
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