Marine Corps Marathon has economic impact of $88 million

Marine Corps Marathon had an economic impact of $88 million in the Washington, D.C., area last October, with the lion’s share going to Arlington County, according to a recent study.

The report by Towson University's Regional Economic Studies Institute found that “the majority of the economic impact occurred throughout Arlington, VA resulting in a total of $59.7 million spent” in  the county.

Arlington, the site of the start and finish of the Oct. 27 marathon, is where a majority of the hotel rooms were booked by participants and their families.

“The Marine Corps Marathon is not only the biggest special event of the year in Arlington, but it is also one of the biggest contributors to our tourism economy,” Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette said in a statement.

The impact study shows each participant spent an average of $697 over the marathon weekend, an increase from $415 spent per person on lodging, food and running-related purchases recorded in a similar study in 2010.

The 2013 study also said runners averaged more than a two-night stay in local hotels and generated about $9.1 million in state and local tax revenues.

The Marine Corps Marathon is the third largest marathon in the United States. It had 23,380 finishers in October.