Toshiba blows in, bringing tourism windfall

Paul Clinton

The nearly two weeks of preparations, buildup and playing of the

Toshiba Senior Classic should inject millions of dollars into a

somewhat torpid local tourism industry, business leaders say.

By bringing visitors to the hotels, diners to the restaurants and

shoppers to the retail centers, the event generates direct revenue

and valuable exposure for the city by the cable TV coverage.

“It’s a very soft tourism market [at the present time],” said Bill

Gunderson, general manager of the Newport Marriott & Tennis Club.

“The benefit [of the event] to local tourism is phenomenal. We

benefit directly and indirectly.”

Estimates vary as to the specific dollar amount generated by the

event, but some things can be quantified.

Local hotels, for example, have booked about 3,000 “room nights”

from late last week though Sunday. Guests of the event, tour

officials, golfers and caddies, out-of-town sponsors, members of the

international media and others book these rooms.

Newport Beach hotels pull in $700,000 in revenue from the event,

said Marta Hayden, executive director of the Newport Beach Conference

& Visitors Bureau.

The event also generates $300,000 in revenue from skyboxes at the

Newport Beach Country Club, $150,000 in food and beverage revenue for

the club and $50,000 to the Marriott for hosting a Tuesday breakfast

with golfer Ben Crenshaw, Hayden said.

“It’s one of our signature events,” Hayden said. “It’s going to be

well attended.”

Hoag Hospital, which organizes the event and hands any proceeds to

its foundation and a handful of other charities, spends almost $5

million on hotel rooms, payments to vendors, rent for office space

and other expenses. The event brings in about $6 million in revenue.

More than 85,000 people are expected to come to Newport Beach,

most during the three days of the golf tournament, event director

Jeff Purser said. About 10,000 tickets will be sold.

“This event has such a positive impact,” Purser said. “It puts the

spotlight on Newport Beach for a whole week.”

Many of the visitors shop in local stores, including Fashion

Island.

“Fashion Island welcomes major events such as the Toshiba Senior

Classic, as it showcases Newport Beach and draws local and regional

traffic to the area,” said Shayne Voorheis, the center’s director of

sales and marketing. “We enjoy partnering with these events to

support the community, as well as bring new customers to the center

to shop, dine, enjoy the theater and the overall Fashion Island

experience.”

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

[email protected].