The Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau reports that Salt Lake was brimming with visitors and spectators during the event-packed week of August 7 due to a confluence of large events, proving that post-Olympic Salt Lake is more than capable of hosting multiple world-class events simultaneously on an on-going basis.  The number of people in the downtown area over the weekend was on par with daily attendance totals experienced during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Three major events in Salt Lake converged on one weekend; the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, the REAL Madrid/REAL Salt Lake soccer match and the inaugural Tour of Utah cycling event.  Combined, Salt Lake hosted more than 75,000 spectators and out of town guests over the weekend.  Outdoor Retailer Summer Market attracted 21,711 attendees, the Tour of Utah attracted roughly 10,000 and the REAL Salt Lake/REAL Madrid soccer match drew over 45,000.

“There was incredible energy in the downtown area,” said Scott Beck, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.  “We were thrilled to host the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, REAL Madrid/REAL Salt Lake and the Tour of Utah all on the same weekend.  Not only do we have the capacity to host such events, but we embrace the opportunity to showcase what Salt Lake has to offer, including the newly expanded Salt Palace Convention Center and exceptional teamwork from our hospitality industry partners.”

The Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. Salt Lake is a unique fusion of metropolitan city and quaint mountain town; the towering Wasatch Mountains that embrace Salt Lake offer a dramatic backdrop to the vibrancy and activities of downtown. Having recently undergone a $58 million expansion, the Salt Palace Convention Center now boasts 679,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space, ideal for groups of all sizes and needs. For more information on all that Salt Lake has to offer, visit www.VisitSaltLake.com.