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Tuesday, Aug. 2 - Community kickoff party, Washington Park Beach, 5-7.
Wednesday, Aug. 3 - 2nd annual Great Lakes Grand Prix golf outing, Briar Leaf, noon shotgun start.
Thursday, Aug. 4 - Boats begin arriving. VIP/Public racer party, Matey's, 7-11.
Friday, Aug. 5 - Authentic Hawaiian Luau sponsored by Top Dog, WP Beach, 6-8; VIP/public racer party, WP Beach, 8-whenever.
Saturday, Aug. 6 - Classic car show, WP, noon to 5; Boat Parade, Franklin Street, 5-6; Block Party/ Taste of Michigan City. 12-12, Franklin between 9th and 4th.
Sunday, Aug. 7, RACE DAY!! VIP brunch, boardwalk, 10:30-5; Race 1, 11 a.m., Race 2, 1 p.m.; VIP/Public awards ceremony, Blu Chip Casino, 5-7.

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http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=88613

Local Teams Bring Home Victories in Suncoast Offshore Superboat Grand Prix

Race teams converged on Sarasota, Florida last weekend for an exciting day of offshore racing with local teams, Team Velocity (P4) and Team Hawaiian Tropic (P2), taking first place in their respective classes. Miss GEICO Offshore racing, the fastest boat on the course, took top honors during the 27th running of the Suncoast Offshore Super Boat Grand Prix Festival.

The top 40 teams in offshore racing participated in one of the highly anticipated events of the year for the Super Boat International racing season. The weeklong event culminated on Sunday with the best boats in the world competing just off Lido Beach. This year tens of thousands of fans watched and cheered as their favorite teams competed and, as local teams roared to first place finishes. For the past 27 years, the Suncoast Foundation has raised funds and built buildings to help local kids and families and this year’s Suncoast Grand Prix event proved to be one of the best attended seasons ever.

Stephen Kildahl, driver of the 28’ P4-1 Team Velocity powerboat, commented it all came together. “We had a new setup today which turned out to be great. We have a lot of local sponsors here so we were thrilled to perform well… we put in a lot of testing last week and it paid off.” Father of the duo, Steve Kildahl continued, “This new setup was a gamble and we weren’t sure we wanted to do it so soon, especially in front of the hometown crowd. But, like Stephen said… it paid off!”

Another local team, the 38’ Skater Team Hawaiian Tropic, had a first place finish in the P2 class. Team owner, Bill McComb commented on the day’s accomplishments. “The boat was dialed in and ran flawlessly. There is nothing like winning in your own back yard. You couldn’t ask for a better race. Walt (Ottaviano – driver) did a great job keeping the boat level and taking it turn by turn.”

The fastest boat on today’s course was Miss GEICO, the 50’ Mystic, throttled by Scott Begovich and driven by Marc Granet. Even though the team took first place overall, it was not without teamwork. Begovich experienced issues throughout the day and managed to work with throttles that stuck wide open. The team went into turn one with throttles stuck and had to maneuver in the runoff area until they were able to pull the throttles back and get back on the course. Those troubles did not disrupt the team from taking first in the Turbine Class.

President of Super Boat International, John Carbonell, took the week’s comments and praise in stride by saying, “A lot of people have said to me this was an awesome event and what a great job we’ve done. All I could say is… thank you, but this event takes so many volunteers, a great support staff along with Lucy Nicandri and the Suncoast Foundation, all working together to make this a spectacular event. Also, it wouldn’t be the event it is without the support of all the teams… we sincerely want to thank them for coming.”

John Carbonell continued, “We were thrilled to make our most recent announcement during the Sarasota event, pertaining to international teams participating in Super Boat events later this year and next. We are so excited to have teams from Central Europe and the Ukraine join us and, even more pleased, to have their powerboat Federation adopt Super Boat International’s rules for their events.”

Other first place finishers in respective classes included: Fountain Talladega P1-62 (P1), Pump-It P3-31 (P3), Cintron 21 (Superboat Unlimited), GEICO Caveman 131 (Superboat Vee Extreme), Instigator V-01 (Superboat Vee Unlimited), Page Motorsports 31 (Superboat 850), Loriblu Fastboats.com 33 (Supercat), Absolutely Not 107 (Superboat Vee Limited), Risk S-1 (Superboat Stock).

Next for Super Boat International
The next race for Super Boat International is August 5th – 7th, the 3rd Annual Super Boat Great Lakes Grand Prix in Michigan City, Indiana. The dry pits will be located in Washington Park and the races will start at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm Sunday August 7th, on Lake Michigan.

Super Boat International (SBI), is the premier offshore racing institution founded from the first ever powerboat race, the 1956 Miami to Nassau event, and is the longest running professional offshore racing sanctioning body in North America. Founder and President, John Carbonell produces races, world kilos and distance records throughout the United States, South America and the Bahamas. SBI events include the World’s fastest Vee Bottom and Catamaran style powerboats, reaching speeds in excess of 200 mph. Offshore powerboats race on a rectangular shaped stadium-styled racecourse along a 2-1/2 mile stretch of beaches filled with hotels, vendors and race fans.

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Big announcement from the CVB

It's official! Chicagoland Speedway and NASCAR will be at the Third Annual Great Lakes Grand Prix this year on race day. Stop by the dry pits and check out their Sprint Cup Show Car and their display tent. We'll also have a presence at their annual fan appreciation day next thursday at the Chicagoland Speedway.This is a great partnership between NASCAR, the Great Lakes Grand Prix and SBI and we thank them!!

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http://superboat.com/2011/08/3rd-annual-su...chigan-city-in/

Teams Take to Lake Michigan for August Power Boat Race

KEY WEST, Fla (August 1, 2011) – Super Boat International (SBI) will be coming to Lake Michigan August 5th through the 7th for the 3rd Annual Super Boat Great Lakes Grand Prix. Michigan City is the 4th race on the SBI National Series powerboat racing circuit. Super Boat fans can expect another great race weekend by the Northern Indiana coastal city in Laporte County.

Teams will converge on Washington Park to prepare their boats for Sunday’s race. They will bring in all their support equipment, tools, extra engines and props as they set-up their boats for what should be an unbelievable race. Super Boats are the world’s fastest offshore race boats and can hit speeds in excess of 200 mph in calm conditions. Lake Michigan is known for not always having calm waters. “I remember a lot of years back when I raced here, the waves seemed bigger than they are at home [Key West, Fl],” comments Super Boat President, John Carbonell.

“The City and Laporte County does a great job planning for this event and it has grown every year. This is our only fresh water race of the season and as much as we (SBI) like coming here, I know the race teams do as well,” continues Carbonell.

Many of the best Super Cat and Vee Bottom teams will be competing this year. Fans are encouraged to come down to Washington Park starting Friday, August 5 and see the raceboats up close. The local race team favorites, who will be running along side the SBI National Points leaders, can expect exciting deck to deck racing and can only hope for good conditions on Sunday.

Last year the teams of Team Cintron, Team STIHL, Watch Your Back and Global Warmer excited fans and this year will not be any different. “I’m really looking forward to coming back to race in Michigan City this year. The town and the fans are just awesome… what a great community and they really support us,” comments JR Noble, owner and driver of the Super Cat Team STIHL.

Teams will compete in various classes based on the size of the race boats, number of engines and horsepower, and hull design.

Boats will start arriving Thursday August 4th to Washington Park off 200 Heisman Harbor Drive. Friday August 5th teams will be in the Dry Pits (Washington Park) all day with a concert in the evening starting at 8:00 pm in the Jaycee Pavilion. On Saturday August 6, teams will be testing from Noon to 5:00, via rules of the road on the water. At 6:00 pm, the Annual Taste of Michigan boat parade will begin and culminates with a block party on Franklin Street in the evening. Sunday August 7th, teams will attend the mandatory drivers meeting, with the first race scheduled to start at 11:00 am and the second race scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm. Be early and be aware of daily activities as the schedules could be modified.

This year’s event will be streamed live on Superboat.com so you won’t miss any of the action. The Super Boat racing season starts in the middle of May and runs through the second week of November, culminating with the Key West World Championships in Key West, Florida.

[taxthedeer]

On Saturday August 6, teams will be testing from Noon to 5:00, via rules of the road on the water. At 6:00 pm, the Annual Taste of Michigan boat parade will begin and culminates with a block party on Franklin Street in the evening.

That should read the Annual Taste of Michigan City boat parade will begin and culiminates with a block party on Franklin Street in the evening.

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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/0...b0749373598.txt

Parties, tours, special events precede Grand Prix

The Grand Prix Boat Parade quickly has become a popular aspect of race week. Photo provided
By Amanda Jacobson
Staff Writer
Published: Monday, August 1, 2011 5:08 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Speedboat enthusiasts will have six days of fun in the sun as the Great Lakes Grand Prix returns for the third year in a row.

The Grand Prix will feature the world’s fastest offshore racing vessels bolting past Washington Park beach, competing for the championship title.

The annual event, which runs Aug. 2 to 7, is sponsored by Super Boat International and is held yearly at six other locations in the U.S., including Miami, Key West and New York City.

Michigan City serves as the only offshore powerboat contest on a Great Lake and is one of only four similar race events in the entire Midwest.

Click here to find out more!
An estimated $6 million and more than 100,000 people came to Michigan City for each of the past two years’ events, totaling almost $12 million in revenue for the city.

Jason Miller, La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau sports development manager, said the race is a financial boon for the city, with newcomers here dining at local restaurants, shopping at local stores and purchasing souvenirs on race days.

This year’s six-day schedule will feature live music, marina tours, a beach party, fresh food and auctions, with race day set for Sunday, Aug. 7.

The course will begin at a designated start point on Washington Park beach. The boats’ first turn will be at Stop 20 along Lake Shore Drive, and Turn 2 will be at the Lighthouse Pier, with boats circling back to the starting point to cross a designated finish line at Washington Park beach.

Miller said the race was initially brought to Michigan City to utilize Washington Park and shine a positive spotlight on the community.

Now, he said, Washington Park has earned a special place in the hearts of race fans as one of the premier locations for superboat racing.

“Anytime you can get 20 or more boats to come to a race, it’s a real plus,” he said. “And, we’ve had that number or more in past years, and I expect we’ll surpass that this year.”

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http://www.powerboat-world.com/usa/Count-d...rand-Prix/86802

America’s crack offshore racers are converging on Lake Michigan, Indiana for the third Great Lakes GP and the fourth round of the Super Boat International National Series.

The Great Lakes event is the only freshwater race in the National Series.

Super Boat International (SBI) President John Carbonell said many of the competing boats were capable of speeds in the region of 200mph (321km/hr) in good water.

'Nevertheless, Lake Michigan is not always known to provide good water,' he said.

'I recall racing here some years ago the waves and chip seemed larger than Key West’s open ocean.

'I must say the authorities in Michigan City and Laporte County have done an outstanding job in planning for the event and it has grown every year,' he added.

Many of America’s fastest Super Cat and Vee Bottom teams will be competing and close and exciting racing is anticipated.

Some of the pre-race favourites include ‘Team Cintron’, ‘Team Stihl’, ‘Watch Your Back’ and ‘Global Warmer’.

'Team Cintron' winning at Miami and planning on a similar effort in the Great Lakes Grand Prix. - Super Boat Michigan City - Rodrick Cox Click Here to view large photo

J.R. Noble, owner/driver of the Super Cat entry ‘Team Stihl’ described the city and the race fans as 'just awesome.'

'I’m really looking forward to the race and it’s great to see so much community support for rhe event,' he said.

Prior to the Sunday (Aug 7) racing, boats will be on display in the dry pit area at Washington Park before the annual ‘Taste of Michigan’ parade culminating in the gala block party.

First race is scheduled fore 11am on Sunday (Aug 7), the second at 1pm.

'Watch Your Back' flies high and is ready to excite race fans off Michigan City. - Super Boat Michigan City - Rodrick Cox


The event will be streamed live on Superboat.com

Super Boat International has been established since the legendary Miami-Nassau race in 1956 and remains the longest-running professional offshore racing organisation sanctioning body in the US.

John Carbonell, its founder and President, produces offshore races, world kilos and distance records throughout the United States.

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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/0...a5670525319.txt

Michigan City's Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix is under way

Pat Kowalski, (left), tosses a bean bag as his competition, Tim Eldridge, watches at the opening beach party for the Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix Tuesday night.
Published: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 5:09 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — The 2011 Great Lakes Grand Prix officially began at Tuesday evening's opening ceremony.

The evening marked the first of three sunset beach parties, which will occur from 4 to 10 p.m. tonight and Thursday.

The main event Tuesday was a bean bag competition. A bar was also opened in between Washington Park Beach and the parking lot.

John Sheets, of the Summer Festival board of directors, said "various games" will take place at the sunset beach parties.

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A live band will perform Friday and Saturday, with a luau scheduled for Friday night and a volleyball tournament planned on Saturday.

Sunday will conclude the week's festivities with the race, a brunch, an awards presentation and live entertainment following the main event.

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http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/recreation/...6eea205cdc.html

MICHIGAN CITY | Rich Wyatt had to do his best "Can you hear me now?" between turns at Sunday's Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix.

"Our crew couldn't talk to us on the radio when we got by the beach because the fans were so loud," Wyatt said. "It's nice to perform in front of so many fans. It's nice to have the whole town come out, and it's nice to be able to put on a show."

Whipping through choppy waters at speeds of up to 145 mph probably qualifies as a good show in anyone's book.

Wyatt's Cintron team, rocking a 50-foot boat with a pair of 1,400-horsepower Stotler Racing Engines, captured the top prize at Sunday's race on Lake Michigan, the culmination of a four-day funfest in and around Michigan City's Washington Park. Through four events in a six-event regular season, Cintron is the overall points leader on the Super Boat International tour after coming through with the Superboat Unlimited title during Sunday's two-race event.

"We picked the wrong setup in the first race and changed it in the second," said Wyatt, a Moon Twp., Pa., native. "The whole second race we had a great time."

In the same event last year, Wyatt's Cintron team won its class. Sunday's was the third annual stop for the SBI tour, and the tour already has yearly stops planned for 2012 and 2013.

That's fine with Dan Davies. The civil engineer from Lombard, Ill., often embarks from Hammond or East Chicago and travels via the best Borman alternative -- water -- to visit friends in Michigan City.

His first professional speedboat race was the inaugural Michigan City SBI tour stop in 2009. That year he won the Manufacturer Production 2 world title in Key West, Fla. He barely missed repeating last year. On Sunday, he piloted a 42-foot boat called Global Warmer and won the Superboat Vee Extreme class over a Geico Caveman boat that had two 1,100-horsepower engines while Global Warmer used twin 700s. They took second in the Manufacturer Production 1 race.

"So easy a caveman can do it? Not today," said Global Warmer throttle man Kyle Deitzen of Syracuse, Ind., the only native Hoosier in the competition. "I love it when the Florida boys have to come to the Midwest."

Early-morning weather delayed the race a little, but the sun came out quickly after a heavy bout of rain. While at Blue Chip Casino dining on cheese, veggies and meatballs by the time Sunday night's deluge began, fans weren't affected by the weather, but the water certainly was.

A boat named Miss Geico hit a wave the wrong way and tore its hull dramatically, withdrawing from competition while taking on water. No one was injured.

"It's like a big washing machine out there," Davies said. "The water was really, really treacherous. It was a rough, rough ride, the roughest we've had in a long time."

Officials estimated that 65,000 fans were on the beach viewing the high-speed action. J.R. Noble of the Stihl boat joked that it was an expensive race because of how many T-shirts and hats he and his cohorts distributed in the days prior to the races. The large painting of a Stihl chainsaw that appears to be tearing through his boat's bow probably didn't hurt his popularity.

"People thank them, and the racers totally dig that," said Jason Miller, Race Director and Sports Development Manager for the LaPorte County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"I'm always amazed by the people of our community and local fans of off-shore racing and how they exponentially increase the population of the town for the weekend."

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/recreation/...l#ixzz1UScOdkPc

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http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=90291

Michigan City Race : Team Cintron wins Superboat Unlimited Class

Wednesday, 10 August 2011


Race teams converged on Michigan City, Indiana this past weekend for the 3rd Annual Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix and treated the crowds to an exciting day of racing. Team Cintron took top honors with the fastest time in the rain-delayed event. The Great Lakes event was filled with excitement before, during and after Sunday’s offshore powerboat race on Lake Michigan.

The 3rd Annual Great Lakes Grand Prix was schedule to start at 11:00 am, but due to strong storms with very high winds, Super Boat was forced to delay the race. President of Super Boat International, John Carbonell, advised teams to secure their boats in the wet pits and suggested all support vessels take safe harbor until the end of the severe weather. Just after an hour of heavy rains and the threat of hail, the weather broke and teams were instructed to ready their boats for the first race.

Boats participated in both races where teams earned half the points in the first race and half in the second race. Teams were given an hour intermission before the start of the second race to allow them to make necessary changes to their race boats and add any additional fuel.

Team Cintron (50’ Mystic), throttled by Rich Wyatt and driven by Hugh Fuller, ran a flawless event and took the checkered flag in the Super Boat Unlimited Class. Many of the drivers commented on the rough and unpredictable waters during the first race. As the day went on and teams got ready for race number two, it was evident the lake’s waves had calmed after the morning storm and the water conditions had changed for the better.

Team Risk throttleman, and long time racer Gary Ballough, earned his 100th career win as Sunday’s winner of the Super Stock class. “I’ve raced for a long time and always said my next race is my best race, but this is one I’m going to remember for a long time,” comments Gary Ballough. In the cockpit with Ballough was driver Jean Claude Chalhoub… who both participated in Saturday’s parade on Franklin Street and appeared to be crowd favorites.

Team Watch Your Back, took 1st in the Manufacturer’s P3 class with young driver Matt Janssen, son of team owner, Dr. Michael Janssen. Throttling for them [Team Watch Your Back] was North Carolina resident, Brian Forehand. The team looked very sharp in both races on what was a very demanding racecourse.

One team seeing more action than they planned was Miss Geico Racing, driven by Marc Granet and throttled by Scott Begovich. On the beginning of lap two, the 50’ Mystic caught a big wave, turning it up in the air and coming down hard on the portside sponson, nearly stuffing the whole boat. While the Miss Geico race boat took a lot of damage, both driver and throttleman were uninjured.

The festivities started on Saturday before the races with the boat parade and block party down Franklin Street. Teams were sharing autograph cards, posters and beads with the record crowd. After the parade, teams stopped on Franklin Street to let the fans get up close and check out the boats.

The weekend’s other class winners included: Team STIHL (Super Cat), Twisted Metal Motorsports (P1), Team Velocity (P4), Page Motorsports (Super Cat 850), WHM Motorsports (Super Cat 750), Miss Geico (Turbine Class), Watch Your Back (Super Vee Limited), Global Warmer (Super Vee Extreme).

The next race on the Super Boat International race series heads to New York City. This year’s 21st Annual New York Super Boat Grand Prix is going to be something special. In honor of 9-11, SBI will race on Saturday September 10th at 9:00 am. The reason for such an unconventional race weekend is that the State of New Jersey will be holding 9-11 ceremonies starting at 11:00 am in Liberty State Park. Super Boat is rearranging the race schedule to allow teams and fans the opportunity to attend both the 10th anniversary ceremonies and the Grand Prix race.

Super Boat International held their 11th Anniversary New York Super Boat Grand Prix race on Sunday September 9th, 2001 and captured some of the last footage shot of the twin towers before that fateful day of September 11th. Months following the American tragedy, Super Boat International received letters from senior New Jersey and New York State Officials to continue boat racing on the Hudson and make plans for September 2002. Super Boat continues to pay respect and honor the families, the fallen and the heroes, along with all those affected on September 11th, 2001.

Super Boat International (SBI), is the premier offshore racing institution founded from the first ever powerboat race, the 1956 Miami to Nassau event, and is the longest running professional offshore racing sanctioning body in North America. Founder and President, John Carbonell produces races, world kilos and distance records throughout the United States, South America and the Bahamas. SBI events include the World’s fastest Vee Bottom and Catamaran style powerboats, reaching speeds in excess of 200 mph. Offshore powerboats race on a rectangular shaped stadium-styled racecourse along a 2-1/2 mile stretch of beaches filled with hotels, vendors and race fans.

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http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...3a561962704.txt

Revved and Ready

Great Lakes Grand Prix a raging success for third year
By Zack Eldridge
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 5:09 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Fans who turned out for the third annual Super Boat International Great Lakes Grand Prix were treated to some tremendous boat racing action.

Even an hour-and-20-minute wind and rain delay couldn’t spoil the fun.

There were two races and several classifications Sunday afternoon on Lake Michigan at Michigan City’s Washington Park.

When the racing ended, numerous racing teams walked away winners.

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The Cintron boat might have been the biggest winner of them all.

Team Cintron, out of Gainesville, Florida, claimed first in the Super Boat Unlimited Class.

Winners were crowned in 13 classes Sunday.

Those boats will earn Super Boat International points, which are accumulated to determine the yearly champion in each class.

Throttleman Rich Wyatt and driver Hugh Fuller piloted the Cintron boat.

“We were the fastest out there today,” said Wyatt, who lives in Pittsburgh. “The first race we ran we chose the wrong setup. The water was rougher than we thought it was, so we weren’t exactly where we wanted to be on the first race. But then we made a couple setup changes for the second race. We hit the right setup and the boat ran great, so we were kind of able to run away from everyone.”

Cintron hit 145 miles per hour Sunday.

Wyatt said the boat has gone 175 miles per hour before.

Cintron has 1,300 horsepower apiece with a twin engine.

Typically, on the Super Boat International circuit, the boats race in saltwater and go counter-clockwise. On Sunday, it was freshwater and the boats raced clockwise.

“It felt like we were in saltwater today with the size of some of those waves,” Wyatt said.

“Once you get ready to start the race, you don’t even think about going the other way. If we were supposed to go out there and go the way we usually go, we’d probably feel weird now. You get used to it pretty quick. It didn’t seem to be an issue. And for us, it’s actually better because my driver’s on that side of the boat, so he can see the turn buoys better than he would going the other way.”

In the opening race, the boat named Miss Geico hit a turbulent wave and landed awkwardly on its hull, causing damage to the front left side of the boat and forcing it to miss the rest of the action.

Ryan Beckley, of Bradenton, Florida, is the owner/throttleman for Ringelberg, The Wharf S-111.

Beckley has participated all three years in this event.

He said it was a challenge with Sunday’s choppy waters.

“It was really rough today,” Beckley said. “A lot rougher than it has been for the last two seasons. That storm rolled through this morning. Usually when a storm rolls through in Florida, it calms down a lot, but it was still a really rough race out there. A lot of broken equipment today.”

Ringelberg, The Wharf S-111 competed in the Super Boat Stock Class and placed third out of four boats.

The boat Risk finished first in the Super Boat Stock Class.

Kyle Dietzen is the throttleman for the boat Global Warmer.

Dietzen resides in Syracuse, Ind.

His partner, Dan Davies, who is the driver/owner of Global Warmer, lives in Batavia, Illinois.

“We’re a couple of the few Midwestern racers that race off shore,” Dietzen said. “When we get the Florida guys up here, we like it because they found out how tough this water is. And this was a bone crusher today.

“It was just a washing machine. Things were everywhere.”

Global Warmer took first place in both races, in the P1 Production 1 division and the Super Vee Unlimited division.

With this year’s Great Lakes Grand Prix over, the attention shifts to returning this event to Michigan City in 2012.

“It’s a great event here,” Dietzen said. “The people that turn out. This is the third year. There were more people Saturday night downtown than we’ve seen, just tremendous, tremendous. With that kind of reception, and if we can put on a good show, hopefully we’ll keep coming back.”

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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/0...9a460536564.txt

Area Briefs for Friday, September 9, 2011

Published: Friday, September 9, 2011 5:08 PM CDT
Official: Grand Prix pumped more than $7 million into area

MICHIGAN CITY — For the third year in a row, the Great Lakes Grand Prix offshore-powerboat race, hosted by the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau and sanctioned by Super Boat International, injected several million dollars into the local economy.

The combined economic impact from all race-related events, held Aug. 3-7, was more than $7 million, which tops the $5.3 million recorded in 2010 during the second event, according to LCC&VB Executive Director Jack Arnett. That figure came from applying crowd estimates to direct spending formulas provided by Certec Inc., as well as the National Association of Sports Commissions.

Estimates place overall attendance at nearly 125,000 people. The largest crowds, estimated through trained crowd counts, numbers provided by shuttle bus officials and hotel occupancy numbers, came Saturday during the downtown boat parade, block party/Taste of Michigan City and Washington Park activities, as well as Sunday’s crowds during the race.

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Some 45,000 people were estimated to have attended Saturday activities and an additional 80,000 were to have packed Washington Park beach Sunday for the race.

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http://superboat.com/2011/09/great-lakes-g...-local-economy/

Great Lakes Grand Prix Once Again Injects Millions into Local Economy

Michigan City, Indiana (Sept. 7, 2011) – For the third year in a row, the Great Lakes Grand Prix offshore powerboat race, hosted by the LaPorte County Convention and Visitors Bureau and sanctioned by Super Boat International, injected several million dollars into the local LaPorte County economy.

According to Jack Arnett, Executive Director of the CVB, the combined economic impact from all race related events- held the week of Aug. 3-7 – was over $7 million, up a bit over the $5.3 million recorded in 2010 during the second annual event.

The economic impact of the event was drawn from the nearly 125,000 people who attended the event, which began on Tuesday and lasted through Sunday. The event’s largest crowds – estimated through trained crowd counts and numbers provided by shuttle bus officials – came on Saturday during the downtown boat parade, block party/Taste Of Michigan City, and activities at Washington Park, as well as crowds on Sunday, during the race.

The CVB also utilized hotel occupancy numbers to estimate crowds. Some 45,000 people were estimated to have attended Saturday activities and an additional 80,000 were estimated to have packed Washington Park Beach on Sunday for the race.

“We’re very happy with the way the numbers turned out,” said Arnett. “This event has blown up in just three short years and turned into something that provides great, positive notoriety to Michigan City and LaPorte County, as well as a really great fiscal shot in the arm.”

Economic impact for this year’s race was derived by applying crowd estimates to direct spending formulas provided by the company Certec Inc., as well as the National Association of Sports Commissions.

For more information please contact Arnett or Race Director Jason Miller at 219.872.5055 or at Jason@michigancitylaporte.com.

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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/0...fb759315054.txt

Michigan City shined amid Grand Prix

By Jane Daley
For The News-Dispatch
Published: Sunday, September 18, 2011 5:08 PM CDT
The Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix was the only race in the Super Boat International series on the Great Lakes. Most are in Florida, with another in New York City. That puts Michigan City in some exclusive company as the host to what the Super Boat website describes as “Boat Racing of the Rich and Famous.” And that’s exactly where Michigan City deserves to be: showcasing its beautiful Lake Michigan and awesome sandy beaches.

The La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau has prepared an estimate of the economic impact of hosting the boat races, but whatever the finding, the Grand Prix definitely brought a lot of visitors and their money to Michigan City, which is exactly the bureau’s mission.

Boating and recreation on Lake Michigan, at Washington Park and on the beach are what make Michigan City unique.

Surely, our visitors will take great memories with them, spread the word around the region and the nation, and come back again to enjoy our hospitality.

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Michigan City and La Porte County will welcome back the Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix offshore powerboat race for a fourth consecutive year in 2012. Two days of the 2011 event drew more than 125,000 spectators. The combined economic impact for all activities held during race week exceeded $7 million and is expected to top those numbers next year.

Visitors and residents had the opportunity to experience a sampling of what they can find in terms of food during the Taste of Michigan City on Saturday, Aug. 6, in downtown Michigan City. Michigan City Mainstreet Association brought back this event for the second year, and it was a great success.

Super Boat International and the LCC&VB recently announced the Fourth Annual Great Lakes Grand Prix is July 31 through Aug. 5, 2012, in Michigan City’s beautiful Washington Park.

The bureau looks forward to the event, and we hope, with help from the community, that it will be more successful than the previous three. The people of La Porte County really treat the racers well, and the racers appreciate it.

Contact Jane Daley, La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau community relations manager, at 872-5055 or jane@laportecountycvb.com, or visit www.visitlaportecounty.com.