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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
If you're interested in seeing world-class athletes competing, TV is not the only place to look, even during the London Olympics. Starting today, world-class athletes are coming to Utah for what's been named "America's Toughest Stage Race," the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah!
This is a six-day professional bike stage race that runs across the Wasatch Front, from Ogden to Snowbird to Park City. It covers almost 550 miles and climbs over 38,000 feet, showcasing some of the most brutal climbs in North America, right here in Utah's beautiful and challenging terrain. It's also UCI 2.1 sanctioned, meaning it's one of the four top-rated stage races in North America for 2012.
Teams from around the globe are coming for the Tour of Utah, including a record-setting seven teams from the Tour de France. These are prestigious athletes including Tour de France podium finishers and stage winners and national and Olympic champions. This event is so popular it now attracts worldwide attention during the first half of August. And it's free and open to spectators.
One of the additions to this year's race is the Echelon Project. This is a partnership between several organizations around the state working to fight obesity. They'll have an interactive exhibit in the Health and Wellness Expo during the tour. You can also find free activities and interactive displays for race fans, along with music, food, kids' activities and more at the Lifestyle Expo that takes place at every finish venue of the tour.
The economic impact from the Tour of Utah is huge with national television coverage and live webcasting that reaches over 90 million households and 130 countries. The 2011 race set an attendance record with an estimated 225,000 spectators across the six days of competition. This brings in an estimated $10 million in revenue for our state and helps support Utah's thriving tourism industry, which employs approximately 9 percent of the Utah workforce.
For more information on the Tour of Utah, visit tourofutah.com.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
Tour of Utah 301 W. South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84101 801-325-2500 www.tourofutah.com
