Jason Morton
Serving as the host city for one of the premier college football teams in the country can add a strain on the logistical and public safety services of any city.
But despite the cost, the financial reward is even greater.
That's the message of Mayor Walt Maddox's latest "Mayor's Minute," a video series he has been posting regularly to the city's website and on social media accounts since Oct. 1.
Each game weekend begins on Thursday and lasts through Sunday, Maddox said, and requires about 400 city employees to pull off effectively.
In November, there are three consecutive game weekends culminating in the annual matchup with Auburn on Nov. 29.
The additional public safety and transportation officials amount to almost $1 million in overtime and additional expenses for the city taxpayers each season.
The return on this investment, Maddox said, is between $17 million and $18 million per game.
This is an increase over the approximately $14 million brought into the city each game weekend as estimated by the University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research in 2008.
"For us," Maddox said in the video, "it's a great investment for a great community that ensures Tuscaloosa not only continues to grow, but gets nationally recognized for having a championship football team."
To view the video online, go to vimeo.com/111017841.
https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1701394
Serving as the host city for one of the premier college football teams in the country can add a strain on the logistical and public safety services of any city.
But despite the cost, the financial reward is even greater.
That's the message of Mayor Walt Maddox's latest "Mayor's Minute," a video series he has been posting regularly to the city's website and on social media accounts since Oct. 1.
Each game weekend begins on Thursday and lasts through Sunday, Maddox said, and requires about 400 city employees to pull off effectively.
In November, there are three consecutive game weekends culminating in the annual matchup with Auburn on Nov. 29.
The additional public safety and transportation officials amount to almost $1 million in overtime and additional expenses for the city taxpayers each season.
The return on this investment, Maddox said, is between $17 million and $18 million per game.
This is an increase over the approximately $14 million brought into the city each game weekend as estimated by the University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research in 2008.
"For us," Maddox said in the video, "it's a great investment for a great community that ensures Tuscaloosa not only continues to grow, but gets nationally recognized for having a championship football team."
To view the video online, go to vimeo.com/111017841.
https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1701394
