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The shorter Ironman this weekend won’t match the peak dollar-blast of Chattanooga’s full Ironman — but it’s still filling hotel rooms and ranks among the area’s top 15 convention and sporting events for economic impact.
“People are in town,” said Timothy Morgan Jr., president of the Chattanooga Sports Committee Office. “They’ll be eating at restaurants. Our hotels are still being utilized. People are spending money.”
Today’s Ironman 70.3, also known as Half Ironman, is expected to have a $1.6 million economic impact. The full Ironman, in September, is expected to have an $8 million impact — the highest of any local convention or sporting event this year.
About 3,100 competitors bought spots for Half Ironman, but not all will show up, Morgan said. About 2,500 are expected to compete, a few hundred more than signed in for Chattanooga’s inaugural Ironman last September. Total attendance is expected to be 6,250, compared with about 12,000 for a full event in the city.