Local
Local officials hope for an economic boon from inaugural EagleBank Bowl
By: David Sherfinski
Examiner Staff Writer
December 21, 2008
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| Wake Forest downed Navy, 29-19, at the inaugural EagleBank Bowl at RFK Stadium. (David Sherfinski/The Examiner) |
Navy and Wake Forest squared off in the inaugural EagleBank Bowl at RFK Stadium on a windy day with temperatures hovering in the mid-30s. Wake Forest overcame an early 13-0 deficit to down the Midshipmen, 29-19. Navy won a Sept. 27 match-up between the two teams, 24-17.
“I'm excited that we've brought a new event to the city,” said EagleBank Bowl co-founder Sean Metcalf, a former staff member for D.C. Councilman Jack Evans.
“We're providing work for other local businesses, we're employing people and we're helping charities,” he added. “We're also promoting student athletes, boosting the bowl business and creating an economic engine for D.C.”
Local officials are trying to analyze the precise economic impact the game will bring to the area, said Bill Hanbury, CEO of Destination D.C., a nonprofit corporation devoted to promoting tourism in the District.
Hanbury said it would be difficult to measure the exact dollar amount, in part because of the Naval Academy's proximity to D.C., which makes it difficult to determine how many people are actually staying overnight and spending money in the city.
But he was hopeful the event would gain momentum in years to come.
“As this game grows, it'll probably outgrow the RFK venue,” he said, adding that, if successful, the event could end up at FedEx Field.
Hanbury said the bowl has about 3,000 rooms in its group reserved at the JW Marriott — the official headquarters hotel of the bowl — and there has been a recent uptick in reservations at the Hyatt Regency Washington near Union Station.
A total of 28,777 attended the game, which was to be called the Congressional Bowl until Bethesda-based EagleBank signed on as the title sponsor in September.
