Hosting US Open Pays Off For San Diego

A study by San Diego State University has found that hosting the US Open at Torrey Pines brought $142 million to the city of San Diego.

The study is based on a survey of 1,450 spectators.  San Diego state estimated that there was $74 million in direct spending, including lodging, shopping, entertainment, food and beverage.

The direct spending, in turn, led to an “indirect impact” of $68 million, which went to local labor, goods and other business items needed to run the open.

It probably goes even further than that, though. Every local who picked up some extra money working on something related to the Open, then will take that money home and use it to buy something they otherwise would not have had. That, in turn, puts extra money in the pockets of others, who turn around and spend that money, and so on.

Then there’s the extra tax revenue generated by the event. That, presumably will be spent on projects various and sundry. And those projects will generate a trickle down effect.

It’ll be interesting to see the effect of the PGA Championship on the Detroit Area in August.