SANDY — From a thousand young people with swords to a conference of Utah's funeral directors, the newly opened South Towne Exposition Center will host them all — to the cheers of neighboring businesses.
Since organizers began booking the 243,000-square-foot building last January, 112 groups already have signed on to use the facility, said SMG director of sales and marketing Allyson Jackson. SMG manages both the South Towne center, 9575 S. State, and the Salt Palace. The expo center began hosting events last month.
Last weekend, more than 1,100 young fencers from around the nation used the building for the U.S. Fencing Association's Junior Olympic Championships. Event organizers hailed the event a sweeping success.
"Probably, this event went so well that it set a new level for this competition," event chairman Ron Hendricks said. "And part of it is that the facility is a very nice facility. A lot of people very high up in the (U.S. fencing) organization were very complimentary, not only about the facility, but about the area and the people as well."
The fencing competition will be followed in short order by outdoor recreation and travel shows, and then the nation's top woodworking show in March. All told, Jackson said the 112 contracted events are valued at $2.34 million. A boon for event organizers, sure. But local businesses also are reaping revenue rewards.
Just across the street from the exposition center is Larry H. Miller's entertainment megaplex, Jordan Commons. With its 17 movie screens, five restaurants and mall-type food court, Jordan Commons presents an additional draw for expo guests. And, Jordan Commons general manager Dale Harvey said, revenues indicate those visitors have been willing to stay and spend their money in Sandy.
"During the boat show (earlier this month), we saw a big increase in both our restaurant sales and our theater sales," Harvey said. The 28,000 boat show goers contributed to Jordan Commons' second-highest revenue making weekend, he said.
"People are coming to our shows, and going across the street to those wonderful restaurants, or to the movies," Jackson said. "We are a good neighbor to the south valley. And we're only going to continue to grow."
The economic benefit hasn't been limited to Miller-land, either. Brenda Ogden, a front desk representative at the nearby Comfort Inn, 8955 S. 255 West, said she's been a lot busier since the expo center opened.
"Business has picked up since the center opened," Ogden said. "This week, we're booked for the fencing thing. But it has picked up for the several shows that have been here, all the conventions and things. And since the freeway opened."
If anything, the economic growth in Sandy has presented some unforeseen — yet positive — challenges.
"I think the only concern is that if we were to bring in one of our bigger events, like our summer nationals, which would fit perfectly at the expo center, is the hotel situation," Hendricks said. "This week, we had 1,153 competitors, plus support staff, officials and families. And I think we sold out every hotel room in the area."
It is one thing for people to come for a daylong event, Sandy economic development director John Hiskey said. It is quite another when thousands of people come from outside the state for extended periods of time, staying in Utah hotels, eating at local restaurants and spending money in Utah stores.
The fencing competition was just the first of what planners hope are many such events. The next, USA Volleyball's Girls' Junior National Championships in June, is slated to last 10 days and bring up to 30,000 people from all around the country.
"That's what our hotel, restaurant and mall people are looking forward to," Hiskey said. "The volleyball competition could bring thousands of people into the county. Something like that is very important for our hotel community, for shopping and for restaurants. But it has significance even beyond Sandy. It is significant for the southern valley, and for the whole Salt Lake area."
E-MAIL: jnii@desnews.com