They are more than just simply “fun factors” in Saskatoon. Sporting events, festivals and big name acts being brought to the Bridge City are helping to drive our city’s economy.
On Saturday, it was a rush for thousands of fans in Saskatoon as the Saskatchewan Rush won the 2016 league championship.
READ MORE: Last minute heroics propel Saskatchewan Rush to 2nd straight Champion’s Cup
“The Rush took it home and did it very well and so from the image projection perspective I’d say that’s where the Rush would have it,” Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce executive director Kent Smith-Windsor said.
“Certainly there’s economic impact in a positive way but from a community projection perspective it’s hard to beat.”
According to Tourism Saskatoon, the economic spin-off generated by the franchise has yet to be finalized but there’s no sign of a slowdown in Saskatoon.
On Monday, a flag raising ceremony was held outside of city hall to officially launch this year’s Pride Week.
Although the boost to our economy associated with this festival is undetermined, many visitors from all over the country come to show their support and stay the entire week.
“This weekend, Garth Brooks is in town for the same weekend so it is going to be a huge impact for downtown Saskatoon,” Danny Papadatos said as chair of the Saskatoon Pride Festival.
“All of the hotels are sold out and we are a mainstream festival happening right in the heart of the city that’s open and inclusive for everybody.”
WATCH BELOW: Going to Garth Brooks? Six things Saskatoon concert-goers need to know
On Thursday, Garth Brooks will step on stage at SaskTel Centre setting off a series of concerts in Saskatoon, the most of any stops in Canada.
His economic influence is times six for our city, with six sold-out shows with 15,500 concert-goers at each.
“When we look at the ticket sales pattern, Garth Brooks has managed to draw a lot of people from Manitoba, Alberta, northern U.S. that are coming in and he has a group that follows him everywhere as well,” Tourism Saskatoon president and CEO Todd Brandt said.
READ MORE: Dixie Chicks add September concert in Saskatoon to summer tour
“It’s very unusual to have any one concert here draw in over 19 per cent of the audience from out of the province, that’s phenomenal.”
Nineteen per cent of approximately 92,000 fans means big bucks will be spent over the course of four days, an estimated $5.4 million.
“There are also people outside of Saskatoon’s region but from within the province, they’ll contribute another 30 per cent, about $4.5 million so in total now we’re $10.2 million in direct spending by visitors coming into Saskatoon.”
Brandt said the calculations are based on data provided by Statistics Canada as part of its Canadian and International Travel surveys involving 51,000 people a month and the average expenditures of, in this case, leisure travellers.
“When you extrapolate they’re average daily spend primarily in food and beverage, in retail and in accommodations that gives us our break down in numbers so it’s going to be noticeable bump in our economic activity for June.”
It’s a win-win situation for the economy, the fans, even the artists and if all goes well, according to Brandt, it will have them coming back for more.