DENVER (AP) -- Organizers of the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge said the weeklong bicycle race attracted more than 1 million spectators and brought $83.5 million to Colorado.
Levi Leipheimer won the 518-mile race in August, which included 25 hours of national television coverage and reached an international audience of more than 150 countries and territories.
The economic impact study released Tuesday was conducted by IFM, a global sports research firm. Among other findings, the firm reported nearly one-quarter of the spectators came from out of state.
IFM said more than $67 million was generated from direct spending by traveling spectators on lodging, food, transportation and entertainment. The remainder came from team, staff, sponsor and vendor spending, employment created by the event and resulting tax effects of the race.
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