Durango Exhibit 24: City of Durango, Colorado: Economic Impacts of Whitewater Recreation Final Report

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City of Durango: Economic Impacts of Whitewater Recreation Fona1 Report 2006 V. LOWER ANIMAS EVENT USE Organized whitewater events including training camps, competitions, and River festivals are significant activities that occur on the Lower Animas River providing numerous benefits to the community, sponsors, participants, local vendors, spectators, and the local economy in general. Although not all of these can be precisely quantified without extensive primary research, some reasonable and conservative estimates can be made about the event participants and expenditures as they are occurring now - further estimates may be forecast if additional flows are diverted into the park and more improvements are made (see Section VII for potential future benefits). Events that have been held at the park in the past, can be seen in Figure 16. Figure 16. Animas River Events 1983 -2005 Animas River Days is perhaps the most enduring local event that focuses and involves both Durango locals and participants from throughout the state and nation - it includes a parade, community BBQ, recreational racing, Jr. Olympic qualifying events, a whitewater rodeo, and often other forms of competitive trial racing. This event takes place on an annual basis and garners routine support and participation numbers. Figure 17 demonstrates the total expenditures generated by organized River events both through the participants themselves and spectators who come specifically to observe these national and international caliber competitions. Both participant and spectator daily expenditures are estimated to be the same as commercial rafting clients. RI ^ c.�.. �tnr 1— 970.382.9153 14 Spectator Estimates Year Events Registered Participants Low High 1983 -2006 Animas River Days 175 500 1000 1990 -1996 Champion International Slalom Series 120 750 4000 1989 Regional Team Trials Qualifier 50 750 4000 1989 International Wild Water races 38 750 4000 1990 -2006 Training Camps 45 -250 (annually) 1992 Regional Olympic Qualifier 50 750 4000 1993 Open Canoe National Championships 92 750 4000 1995 US Rodeo Team Selection 120 750 4000 2002 Jr. Sr. Masters National Championships 98 750 4000 2001 -2003 National & Jr. Team Selection Race 52 750 4000 2004 Senior National Team Trials 71 750 4000 2005 USA Whitewater Team Trials 100 750 4000 Animas River Days is perhaps the most enduring local event that focuses and involves both Durango locals and participants from throughout the state and nation - it includes a parade, community BBQ, recreational racing, Jr. Olympic qualifying events, a whitewater rodeo, and often other forms of competitive trial racing. This event takes place on an annual basis and garners routine support and participation numbers. Figure 17 demonstrates the total expenditures generated by organized River events both through the participants themselves and spectators who come specifically to observe these national and international caliber competitions. Both participant and spectator daily expenditures are estimated to be the same as commercial rafting clients. RI ^ c.�.. �tnr 1— 970.382.9153 14