Thousands of Athletes & Fans Descend on Santa Monica for Rose Bowl Pep Rallies & LA ½ Marathon
By Mel Fabrikant Friday, January 08, 2010, 06:12 PM EST
CROWDS BOOST LOCAL TOURISM BUSINESS IN SANTA MONICA
Over 40,000 college football fans packed Santa Monica during the recent Ohio State University and University of Oregon Rose Bowl pep rallies. With their stay just ended, the famed beachfront city remains crowded with Texas and Alabama fans, now in Southern California for the BCS Championship game in Pasadena this week. Without missing a beat, Santa Monica is readying to welcome close to 5,000 runners for the Inaugural 13.1 Los Angeles™ Half-Marathon, scheduled to start in the city on Jan. 10, 2010.
With close proximity to venues hosting national sporting events, Santa Monica continues to be "home" to fans and athletes for a variety of sports from all over the country. What with all the festivities and parties held for both Rose Bowl teams and a private event held for 600 University of Texas fans on the Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica was brimming over with visitors who partook in the many eclectic restaurants the city offers, the wide array of boutique shops available, and enjoyed the varieties of amenities and comfort packages that the city's hotels provided.
"The Buckeye Bash at Santa Monica Pier was just a terrific and entertaining event for the 30,000 Ohio State alumni and friends who joined us," said Archie Griffin, President and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association Inc. and the only two-time Heisman trophy winner. "We truly feel that the Pier was the perfect place for our event, and I have to credit the staff at the Pier and the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau for serving as gracious hosts for the Buckeye fans who spent the day there."
Added Ben Franz-Knight, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation, "The Santa Monica Pier is an ideal location for national events like the Rose Bowl pep rallies. Both teams and their fans were overjoyed to experience the best of Southern California in Santa Monica and they enjoyed the party of a lifetime."
With Rose Bowl Tournament of Roses Parade and BCS Championship fans on their way back home, the seaside city is preparing for more out-of-towners that are participating in the 13.1 Los Angeles™ Half-Marathon. The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is the marathon's headquarters, providing close proximity to the start and finish lines, and convenience to racers and fans, alike. The Holiday Inn Santa Monica, Bayside Hotel and Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica will also host half marathon guests. The participating hotels can be reserved at the 13.1 Marathon Los Angeles website. Santa Monica businesses are encouraged to welcome athletes and fans for the 13.1 half marathon and other upcoming events by offering specials to fans. To get more information about upcoming events in Santa Monica and to submit a special for a free online listing, businesses can visit Santamonica.com/deals-form.
"Blessed With over 340 days of sunshine annually, beautiful wide beaches, unique hotels with great rates, convenient and centralized walkable location close to world class dining and shopping, boasting a healthy athletic community to boot, Santa Monica is a much-desired and popular location for sports fans as seen by the well attended recent events, both of the Rose Bowl team pep rallies and next up, the 13.1 Marathon Los Angeles," commented Misti Kerns, president and CEO of the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau. Adds, Ms. Kerns, "We look forward to hosting more athletes and fans, as these events bring a great spirit of excitement and exuberance to the city which is very welcome and appreciated during these difficult economic times."
SMCVB staff has been hard at work readying the community for upcoming sporting events that will bring an influx of an estimated 50,000 people to Santa Monica. The Northern Trust Open PGA golf tour on February 4-7, 2010 held in nearby Pacific Palisades, and the much anticipated L.A. Marathon on March. 21, 2010 whose finish line is at Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue.
Visitors are encouraged to find discounts and deals from local businesses during the marathons and PGA tour at http://www.santamonica.com/deals/. For images, press information, including a list of 25 Free Things to Do in Santa Monica, please contact the media contacts listed. To view Santa Monica's 100 free things to do in Santa Monica, visit www.santamonica.com/visitors/plan-your-trip/family-activities/.
Santa Monica is a centrally located Los Angeles haven that has ready access to all of the area's locations and events. Just a short distance from LAX, Santa Monica offers sunshine, beaches, and direct access to the upcoming events, as well as over 400 world-class restaurants, pubs, sports bars, lounges and shops. Call Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau directly at (800) 771-2322 or (310) 319-6263 to obtain a free visitors guide, map and other resources.
About Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau
Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Santa Monica as a travel destination. For travel and accommodation information or a free copy of the Official Visitors Guide, the public can write to the Santa Monica Visitor Center, 1920 Main Street Suite B, Santa Monica, CA 90405; call (800) 544-5319 or (310) 393-7593; visit http://www.santamonica.com; or email info@santamonica.com. Follow SMCVB on Twitter @GoSantaMonica or become a FaceBook fan at http://www.facebook.com/visitsantamonica.
Over 40,000 college football fans packed Santa Monica during the recent Ohio State University and University of Oregon Rose Bowl pep rallies. With their stay just ended, the famed beachfront city remains crowded with Texas and Alabama fans, now in Southern California for the BCS Championship game in Pasadena this week. Without missing a beat, Santa Monica is readying to welcome close to 5,000 runners for the Inaugural 13.1 Los Angeles™ Half-Marathon, scheduled to start in the city on Jan. 10, 2010.
With close proximity to venues hosting national sporting events, Santa Monica continues to be "home" to fans and athletes for a variety of sports from all over the country. What with all the festivities and parties held for both Rose Bowl teams and a private event held for 600 University of Texas fans on the Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica was brimming over with visitors who partook in the many eclectic restaurants the city offers, the wide array of boutique shops available, and enjoyed the varieties of amenities and comfort packages that the city's hotels provided.
"The Buckeye Bash at Santa Monica Pier was just a terrific and entertaining event for the 30,000 Ohio State alumni and friends who joined us," said Archie Griffin, President and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association Inc. and the only two-time Heisman trophy winner. "We truly feel that the Pier was the perfect place for our event, and I have to credit the staff at the Pier and the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau for serving as gracious hosts for the Buckeye fans who spent the day there."
Added Ben Franz-Knight, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation, "The Santa Monica Pier is an ideal location for national events like the Rose Bowl pep rallies. Both teams and their fans were overjoyed to experience the best of Southern California in Santa Monica and they enjoyed the party of a lifetime."
With Rose Bowl Tournament of Roses Parade and BCS Championship fans on their way back home, the seaside city is preparing for more out-of-towners that are participating in the 13.1 Los Angeles™ Half-Marathon. The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is the marathon's headquarters, providing close proximity to the start and finish lines, and convenience to racers and fans, alike. The Holiday Inn Santa Monica, Bayside Hotel and Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica will also host half marathon guests. The participating hotels can be reserved at the 13.1 Marathon Los Angeles website. Santa Monica businesses are encouraged to welcome athletes and fans for the 13.1 half marathon and other upcoming events by offering specials to fans. To get more information about upcoming events in Santa Monica and to submit a special for a free online listing, businesses can visit Santamonica.com/deals-form.
"Blessed With over 340 days of sunshine annually, beautiful wide beaches, unique hotels with great rates, convenient and centralized walkable location close to world class dining and shopping, boasting a healthy athletic community to boot, Santa Monica is a much-desired and popular location for sports fans as seen by the well attended recent events, both of the Rose Bowl team pep rallies and next up, the 13.1 Marathon Los Angeles," commented Misti Kerns, president and CEO of the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau. Adds, Ms. Kerns, "We look forward to hosting more athletes and fans, as these events bring a great spirit of excitement and exuberance to the city which is very welcome and appreciated during these difficult economic times."
SMCVB staff has been hard at work readying the community for upcoming sporting events that will bring an influx of an estimated 50,000 people to Santa Monica. The Northern Trust Open PGA golf tour on February 4-7, 2010 held in nearby Pacific Palisades, and the much anticipated L.A. Marathon on March. 21, 2010 whose finish line is at Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue.
Visitors are encouraged to find discounts and deals from local businesses during the marathons and PGA tour at http://www.santamonica.com/deals/. For images, press information, including a list of 25 Free Things to Do in Santa Monica, please contact the media contacts listed. To view Santa Monica's 100 free things to do in Santa Monica, visit www.santamonica.com/visitors/plan-your-trip/family-activities/.
Santa Monica is a centrally located Los Angeles haven that has ready access to all of the area's locations and events. Just a short distance from LAX, Santa Monica offers sunshine, beaches, and direct access to the upcoming events, as well as over 400 world-class restaurants, pubs, sports bars, lounges and shops. Call Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau directly at (800) 771-2322 or (310) 319-6263 to obtain a free visitors guide, map and other resources.
About Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau
Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Santa Monica as a travel destination. For travel and accommodation information or a free copy of the Official Visitors Guide, the public can write to the Santa Monica Visitor Center, 1920 Main Street Suite B, Santa Monica, CA 90405; call (800) 544-5319 or (310) 393-7593; visit http://www.santamonica.com; or email info@santamonica.com. Follow SMCVB on Twitter @GoSantaMonica or become a FaceBook fan at http://www.facebook.com/visitsantamonica.
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