Ironman boosts hotel bookings in St. George

Hotels in the St. George area brought in an estimated $1.25 million in revenue last week as the region hosted its inaugural Ironman race. Many area hotels reported 90 to 100 percent occupancy for the week of the race. The average athlete spent four days in St. George, according to survey of 1,350 Ironman athletes conducted by the Convention and Travel Office.

With a five-year deal in place to host an annual Ironman race in St. George, officials expect the event to grow considerably as some athletes are apprehensive about attending a first-year event. Race coordinators plan to raise the registration cap by 300 next year, allowing 2,800 athletes to register for the race The Spectrum