Cory Spinks drove a hard bargain, and it will pay off big-time for St. Louis. In order to gain a rematch, Zab Judah said Spinks insisted that the fight be in St. Louis.
“First, it was New York. Then, it was Las Vegas. But Cory said it had to be here,” Zudah said before a media workout on Monday.
As a result, an international boxing audience will tune in the fight on Showtime, and hundreds of hotel rooms are filled for the weekend.
With ticket sales near 17,000 as of Wednesday, and visitors jetting in, Don King Productions estimates that the economic impact could top $5 million.
In addition, Dennis Petrullo, Savvis Center executive vice president, said in January that the venue “could make money” with a crowd of 13,000 to 14,000.
Ticket sales have far outpaced that, so the Savvis stands to make a much-needed profit. Savvis has been quiet more than 30 extra nights this year, because the National Hockey League’s St. Louis Blues remain off the ice due to the lengthy player lockout.
“If you don’t have a ticket, get down to the Savvis Center or call Ticketmaster,” said Spinks’ trainer Kevin Cunningham.
“Don’t wait until the last minute.”
St. Louis Sports Commission President Frank Viverito also has his organization gearing up for the 2005 NCAA Final Four at the Edward Jones Dome in April.
More people will travel to St. Louis and use more hotel rooms for that event than the Spinks vs. Zudah rematch, but that doesn’t mean the fight will not help the region financially.
“The economic impact of a fight of this magnitude is trivial when you factor in the national and international television audience for fans and residents of the region,” said Viverito.
“It’s the most significant fight we’ve had here in more than 20 years for sure, and I think an event of this stature is unique and exciting and all of St. Louis will respond,” he added.
A St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association economist said the entire region would benefit from the fight at Savvis Center.
“Economic impact measures how spending tied to an event have multiple impacts and spread throughout a region, benefiting households and firms within the region,” RCGA Chief Economist Bryan Bezold said in explaining the dollars generated.
“The major sources of spending are on-site expenditures (e.g. ticket prices, concessions, merchandise) and off-site expenditures (e.g. dining, retail, lodging, transportation).”
Bezold estimated that the St. Louis area reaped about $2.3 million per game during the Major League Baseball postseason, which included eight games.
It doesn’t even matter that the fight will be held on one day before the Super Bowl in Jacksonville, because it is such a unique event the region would have supported it anyway, according to Viverito.
A master showman, Don King will be “King” of the Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday morning, another major event on the annual St. Louis calendar.
“It’s going to be a party,” King said.
It will indeed, and St. Louis is going to cash in.
Kenneth Miller is sports editor of the Los Angeles Sentinel and works with Don King Productions.
