UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, September 3. 1993
R
Football a big moneymaker for city
Game weekends draw $1 million for Lawrence
By Traci Carl
By Traci Can Kansan staff writer
Talgate parties and out-of-towners are traditionally a part of football weekends, but for the city of Lawrence, they are also big business. Judy Billings, director of Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau, estimated that each home football weekend generated about $1 million for Lawrence's economy.
"I think it has to do with the team's success," Billings said. "It's important to everybody, not just KU"
Billings said she based the estimate on the fact that there were 858 hotel rooms in Lawrence with an average of two people staying in each room.
"We are getting more and more weekends with full hotel rooms." Billings said. "The flood of the number of people who come into town to sleep, to eat, to drink, to shop and to enjoy the activities around Lawrence has a large impact."
Mary Grover, director of sales and marketing at Holiday Inn Holidome, 200 W. Turnpike Access Road, said the Holidome was almost sold out for all six home football game weekends.
Much of Lawrence's out-of-town crowd are KU's alumni, who return for KU Alumni Association activities, which often were scheduled on home football weekends, Grover said.
Lee Messinger, a manager at Molly McGee's, 2429 Iowa St., said home games were moneymakers for the staff, but the size of the tips depended on the team KU played.
"The best weekends are when the people from Nebraska come," he said. "They spend a lot of money.
"Those people from Columbia, they don't spend any money. I can say that because my wife graduated from there."
Messinger said the crowd was the same whether KU won or lost, but the crowd for away games was smaller and the number of people served was fewer.
Bernie Kish, director of ticket operations, said football season ticket sales increased 22 percent from last
year. Last year, there was only an 8 or 9 percent increase in season ticket sales, he said.
Billings said that the city saw an increase in spending with a more successful football season. Last year's successful season and national exposure boosted interest in the team, she said
"It was just such a festival atmosphere," she said. "I haven't seen that in years."
A night game against the University of California featured on ESPN and KU's victory against Brigham Young University in the Alaoha Bowl was priceless exposure, Billings said.
"You can't buy that kind of publicity." Billings said. "All that feeds into more people knowing about the University and Lawrence. If they're driving down the highway, they might say, 'Hey, I remember that, let's stop and see what it's like.'"
Billings said the impact of basketball games on the city's economy was less because Allen Field House didn't seat as many people as Memorial Stadium and because the games were often on weekdays.
Road Closed
KU prepares for traffic turmoil at first home game
North Second Street will be open to through traffic. Northbound traffic going across the bridge will be brigadeed to the right after the bridge. Two lane, two way traffic will be open around the hole in front of Johnny's tavern, but four lane traffic will resume after the hole. The detour will be held for another 10 minutes. Northbound left turns onto Locust Street will be prohibited from 4 o'6 p.m.
Four lanes will be open Saturday during the day at the construction on Iowa Street, north of 67th Street.
Parking along Mississippi Street from the stadium to the Spencer Museum of Art will not be open to the public. it will be reserved for Athletic Department park.
Source, George Williams, director of Public Works
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