MADISON, IL (KMOX) - The sound of stock cars at World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend, is music to the ears of not only race fans, but to businesses throughout the Metro East.
The weekend's festivities culminating in Sunday's sold-out Enjoy Illinois 300 are expected to draw upwards of 80,000 spectators and generate $60 million in economic impact. But Illinois South Tourism Spokesman Andy Waterman says that's going to be just the beginning, "When other event planners see that World Wide Technology Raceway had this race and they were able to pull it off, other event planners are going to reach out to them. Their phone should be ringing off the hook, and so they should have more events that come from this."
Waterman says many Metro East hotels are at or near capacity and restaurants are doing a brisk business. That's extremely welcome news since not too long ago many were empty because of the pandemic.
@2022 Audacy (KMOX). All rights reserved.