(Michigan City, IN) - This year’s lakefront power boat racing in Michigan City generated $23.6 million for the local economy.  That’s according to a recent study conducted annually by an outside firm to measure the economic impact of the Great Lakes Grand Prix.  The amount of revenue brought here from outside La Porte County by the event was about $4 million higher than last year’s total.

 

Jack Arnett, Executive Director of the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the numbers are based on all of the race related events on days leading up to and during the high speed racing of boats on Lake Michigan at Washington Park.

 

He credited the rise in economic impact on more events added to what’s nearly a now week long attraction.

 

“We think we accomplished what we wanted to,” he said.

 

The study also shows $5.3 million in wages were paid to La Porte County workers as a result of this year’s race along with $6.2 million in taxes generated for federal, state and local governments.

 

Arnett said an estimated 200,000 people were at all of the race related events with 150,000 of the total in Washington Park for the two days of racing.