Outdoor decks and lush, green lawns are big business in Denver, according to a newly released report on the economic impact of the annual Colorado Home & Garden Show.
The January show drew more than 63,000 attendees, who spent more than $18 million, according to the study conducted by Denver-based Garner Insight on behalf of the nonprofit Colorado Garden Show Inc.
That total included food, lodging, entertainment and parking costs spent with vendors during and after the show.
For comparison, February’s much-hyped NBA All-Star Game generated $22 million in direct spending.
“There’s been a real shift, and people are investing more into the creature comforts of their homes,” said Jim Fricke, executive director of Colorado Garden Show.
The recent expansion of the Colorado Convention Center allowed the annual show to expand from 408 exhibitors in 2004 to 655 this year.
When recirculated through the economy, the money spent at the Home & Garden Show generated another $20 million in indirect spending and supported 430 jobs, according to the study. Convention-bureau officials did not calculate the indirect effect of the All-Star Game.
Richard Scharf, president and chief executive of the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the results of the study were noteworthy but added that locally based conventions don’t generate the same tax boost as events that draw people from out of town.
Only 15,000 show attendees came from outside the metro area.
Scharf noted that the show helps boost business during the winter, a traditionally slow time for the local convention business.
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at karellano@denverpost.com or 303-820-1902.
