Red Bull Crashed Ice draws 90,000 people to St. Paul
by Annie Baxter, Minnesota Public RadioSt. Paul, Minn. — The Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship drew as many as 90,000 people on its peak night Saturday.
About 200 athletes from around the world skated down a steep, icy track near the St. Paul Cathedral.
St. Paul hasn't tabulated tax receipts that would show how much the event boosted the local economy, said Jake Spano, marketing director for the city. Red Bull estimates the event generated about $30 million of economic activity in other towns, he said.
"We know that Red Bull comes in and hires local laborers to construct courses and do things like that-- hires local ad firms," Spano said. "But by and large, I think most of that money comes from the service industries that thrive on these sorts of big marquis events."
Most of the U.S. skaters who participated in the event hailed from Minnesota. They achieved speeds of up to 40 mph.
Spano said he's aware of one skater breaking a leg and at least one concussion, but there were no injuries reported among spectators.
Annie Baxter
• ReporterAnnie Baxter started her radio trajectory answering the phones at a pledge drive at KQED, San Francisco's NPR member station, and managed to wriggle her way into an internship soon thereafter.
