Games of Texas drops $7.7 million into community

By Kelli Nesbitt, Parks & Recreation Marketing Coordinator

Whenever you play host to a large-scale event that attracts thousands of visitors, you expect it to have a substantial impact on the local economy.

From July 26-30, 7,621 athletes from across the state competed in 11 sports in the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation’s Summer Games of Texas. The Olympic-like festival had only 225 local participants, which means the rest – along with about 19,000 of their coaches, family members, and friends – were visitors staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, and shopping in our stores.

The estimated economic impact of all that activity? A cool $7.7 million.

Despite hot weather conditions, the games’ spirit and atmosphere thrived, thanks to hundreds of volunteers and the wholehearted support of our community. We heard scores of positive comments, with many participants saying this was the best Games of Texas to date.

Photos: 2018 TAAF Games of Texas

Here’s the breakdown of participants by sport:

Here are some interesting tidbits reported by the Bryan and College Station Parks and Recreation Departments, which partnered with Texas A&M to manage the event:

• Athletes set 72 Games of Texas records.
• Participants and volunteers consumed 22,000 bottles of water and used 32,120 pounds of ice.
• Local sponsors donated 1,165 meals for participants and volunteers.
• 328 volunteers assisted, including 93 from the Texas Army National Guard.
• 390 gold medals were awarded in track & field and swimming.
• 271 tennis matches were played over two days.

If you missed out on the fun, don’t fret. The Games of Texas will return to Bryan-College Station July 25-29, 2019.

On behalf of the Cities of Bryan and College Station, we extend a special thank you to our volunteers, TAAF liaisons, commissioners and Texas Army National Guard Warriors. The overwhelming success of the event is a direct reflection of your dedication. We sincerely appreciate your gift of time, energy, and enthusiastic support.

About the Blogger

Kelli Nesbitt (@kneztalk) has served the Parks & Recreation Department for 14 years, the last seven as marketing coordinator. A native of Bryan, Kelli earned a bachelor’s degree in health & kinesiology from Sam Houston State.

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