CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — It might seem strange to be holding the 2021 Ironman World Championship in the year 2022, and yet that is exactly the case.
Much like the 2020 Olympics that were held in 2021 due to pandemic cancellations, the 2021 Ironman World Championship will be held a year later on May 7 in St. George.
Set to be one of the biggest events yet to be held within the red rock vistas of Southern Utah, the Ironman World Championship will leave behind ripple marks that benefit Greater Zion long after the final competitor crosses the finish line. These benefits include a raised profile of the community, reduced taxes, promotion of long-term investment, job creation and generation of enthusiasm and a sense of community.
Jeff Robbins, CEO of the Utah Sports Commission, gauged the impact of the Ironman World Championship as far as elevating the community profile.
“This may be the biggest event in Utah since the 2002 Winter Olympics, as far as a worldwide, marquee brand,” he said.
As such, Lance Brown, development officer at Dixie State University, said these events are critical to the future of the community.
“In some ways, they are the beating heart of our community,” he added. “The longer they continue, the more tradition and vibrancy we will enjoy. They will be anchors for our economic prosperity, identity and growth.”
On a more individual scale, residents can expect a reduction in taxes, as visitor-generated tax revenue decreases the local taxes for each Greater Zion resident by more than $1,300 per household each year, according to research submitted by the State Tax Commission.
Visitor-generated tax revenues are also used for long-term investment projects that enhance local communities.
Further, with 15.3% of the jobs in southwest Utah existing in the leisure and hospitality sector, iconic events like Ironman guarantee that dollars spent in the area will benefit local citizens many times over.
But perhaps one of the most significant benefits of events like Ironman is the community pride and enthusiasm they help generate.
“They provide opportunity for all of us as ‘parts’ to come together and create a better ‘whole,'” said Lisa Beck, president of Harmony Public Involvement.
The Ironman World Championship is iconic in its own right. The world’s greatest endurance race, the triathlon (swim, bike and run) has called Kona, Hawaii, home for the last 44 years.
Its move to St. George ties back to the pandemic restrictions that forced the possible cancellation of the 2021 event. Organizers scrambled to find a venue equal to the natural beauty and historical legacy that makes Kona shine.
“The mystique of the Ironman World Championship is legendary,” said Kevin Lewis, director of Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office.
“With a 44-year history in Hawaii, it is the most iconic endurance event in the world. Destinations across the globe have sought to host it, but it’s never been anywhere else,” Lewis said, adding that “of all the places it could have been, Greater Zion was selected.”
Starting with last September’s Ironman 70.3 World Championship, the Greater Zion area will end up hosting three world championship Ironman events in 13 months.
“No other community has ever done anything like this. But this isn’t any other community – this place was formed by pressure and exertion,” Lewis said. “It was built by people who figured out how to bring life to a barren and rugged terrain.”
Greater Zion has grown its reputation among triathlon athletes around the world, and Lewis said he envisions the community gaining even more exposure because of this added time under the bright spotlights.
“2022 will be a transformational year for our community as we continue to solidify our position on the world stage,” he added.
Over the past decade, the Greater Zion area blossomed into a global hub for endurance sports that have benefited the local communities at large. Ironman events alone have brought more than $120 million in direct economic impact to area businesses.
“Hosting these types of events puts us on a worldwide stage,” said Patrick Manning, managing partner for the new Black Desert Resort development, adding that they create credibility and attract positive attention that benefits local businesses.
Learn more at Ironman.GreaterZion.com.
Written by E. GEORGE GOOLD for St. George News.
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