BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Organizers estimate that this year's Magic City Classic packed an economic impact of $24.3 million, shattering previous records for the event. "We were projecting anywhere between $13 million and $15 million, and we would have been happy with that," Birmingham Mayor William Bell said.Traditionally, the annual clash between Alabama State University and Alabama A&M has an economic impact between $15 million and $16 million, according to Gene Hallman, chief executive of the Alabama Sports Foundation, which organizes the Classic. The Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, which routinely calculates economic impact figures for major events, came up with the $24.3 million figure for this year's game.
Organizers say:
• Corporate sponsorship amounting to $890,000 was the most ever.
• The 66,473 tickets sold was not a record, but when combined with the estimated 40,000 tailgaters that remained outside Legion Field during the game, Hallman said it set a new mark.
• The 2.75 night average hotel stay was higher than in previous years.
• The $450,000 paid to each school was a new record, blowing past the $425,000 paid last year.
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