The Arizona Office of Tourism reported travelers spent about $21 billion in Arizona in 2014, and officials are excited about the possibility that the College Football National Championship game could bring fans of one team that’s never played in the Valley.
The teams that will play in the Jan. 11 game at University of Phoenix Stadium won’t be known until after the semifinals on Thursday. But while Oklahoma and Michigan State have played recent bowl games in the Valley, Alabama hasn’t been here in 25 years, and Clemson never has.
“We want them to use this as an opportunity to experience Arizona and then hopefully come back either repeatedly for vacations, or consider moving here,” said Brad Wright, chairman of the Arizona Organizing Committee.
The Organizing Committee, the Office of Tourism and the Arizona Commerce Authority have worked together to develop strategies for convincing college football fans to return to the Valley, Wright said.
Arizona State University’s W.P Carey School of Business has said the previous four championship games played in Arizona had about a $650 million economic impact.
