Alameda Runners – Get After It!

Numerous uncertainties led up to the Oakland Running Festival last weekend, but the city stepped up and showed guests a great time as they ran events over two days.

Oakland also won after collecting $1.92 million (initial estimate) in revenue generated by the event.  Furthermore, there were 11,340 visitors without any noticeable downside.  The city didn’t have to pay officer and fire fighter overtime, as Corrigan Sports Enterprise (CSE) and sponsors helped cover the cost.

CSE paid $700,000 to $800,000 to host the festival — a small price to pay to generate such a great interest in the East Bay — with the company hopeful to cash in even more in the future.

A reported $1.92 M figure may sound lower than expected, but since most of the participants were local to the SF Bay Area — reportedly75% of all participants — the city may have lost out on hotel, dining and other revenue from visitors, that’s right, visitors to Oakland.

If everyone was from out of town, each out of town runners $687 in average spending would have been worth $7.8M.

CSE will use this momentum to build up for next year’s event, which will likely grow in the future.  I can’t wait for the 2011 Oakland Half Marathon, and hope the event will be back and will be even more energetic!