NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
Contact: Ann Mort, 513-649-4506, rmort@cinci.rr.com
July 20, 2010
$3.8 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM HOT AIR BALLOON EVENT
Attendance totaled an estimated 59,652 at the 8th Annual MidFirst Ohio Challenge held over the July 16-18, 2010 weekend. Due to extreme temperatures and high humidity, the total attendance was down 12% from the 2009 figures of 67,825 people watching the hot air balloon launches, Team Fastrax skydivers and other on-site activities at Smith Park/Middletown Regional Airport in downtown Middletown.
Surveys of guests on site revealed that 42% were from the immediate area, 12% came from other states and 17% drove more than an hour to get to the festival.
While not all figures are available yet, the indication is that an increasing number of people get their information about the event from the Internet (25%) and Newspaper 16%. Many families make it a traditional summer outing (33%) and word of mouth is still a very popular way to spread the word (22%).
Using a conservative multiplier, it is estimated that the event caused a $3.8 million economic impact – including not only what guests spend on site, but gasoline, restaurants, hotels, retail purchases, taxes paid, cost to put on the event and supplies vendors purchased for booths.
One, often overlooked, benefit is the addition to the treasuries of the 13 non-profit organizations who provide services and/or offer food for sale on site.
Organizers are pleased with the numbers and will use survey results to help plan the next year’s event. The 9th annual MidFirst Ohio Challenge hot air balloon festival will be July 15-16-17, 2011.
Lost and Found items from the 2010 event will be held at the Chamber of Commerce, 1500 Central Avenue.
For more information, visit www.MidFirstOhioChallenge.com or call 513-705-1770.
1500 Central Avenue
Middletown, OH 45044
513-705-1770
www.MidFirstOhioChallenge.com info@OhioChallenge.com
Primary Sponsor
MidFirst Credit Union
Platinum +
Middletown Community
Foundation
Platinum
AT&T Real Yellow Pages
Chamber of Commerce serving
Middletown, Monroe, Trenton
City of Middletown
JP Morgan Chase/Barnitz Fund
Manchester Inn & Conference
Center
Middletown Convention &
Visitors Bureau
Start Skydiving.com-
Team Fastrax
Gold +
Community Development
Professionals
Gold
Digital Visuals
Meijer Stores
Middletown Journal/Cox Ohio Publishing-
Official Information Source
WPFB 910am, 105.9 fm
Silver
AAA Ohio Auto Club
Atrium Medical Center
Bern’s Garden Center
Butler County Visitor’s Bureau
Christian Credit Outreach, Inc.
Costco
Dillman Foods
GFS Market Place
Grace Baptist Church
LeafFillerGutter Protection
Miami University Middletown
Middletown Area Senior Center
Ocean Spray Cran-Energy
Otterbein Homes
Bronze
AK Steel
Al Neyer, Inc
BioLife Plasma Services
Clark, Schaefer, Hackett & Co
Cohen Brothers
Crossroads Hospice
Garden Manor
Hawthorn Glen
Kleingers & Associates
MillerCoors Brewery
MobilComm Communications
OmniCom Solutions, Inc
Rumpke
Summit Family Physicians
Other
Premier Allergy & Asthma Assoc
Special Thanks
B & B Aero
Broad Street Bash
Bryte Signs
Butler Co Recycling & Solid Waste District
Donato’s Pizza
Holy Family Parish
Langendorf Law
Middletown Aviation Foundation
Middletown Public Library
Middletown Regional Airport
TriTech Light & Sound
TV Middletown
United Way
Corporate Balloons
Atrium Medical Center
Bella Balloon Hot Air Balloon Co
Gentle Breeze Balloon Co.
Remax
