Contact: Sunny Mindel/Curt Ritter 212-788-2958
Marathon Expected To Generate Over $100 Million In Economic Activity For City
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today painted the first part of a dashed 26.2-mile Blue Line for the upcoming running of the 30th annual New York City Marathon, which will be held this Sunday, November 7th. The dashed, Marathon Blue Line, which will run the entire racecourse, is designed to help direct runners during the race. Over the next two days the line will be completed by the City's Department of Transportation. The Mayor also announced that the Marathon is expected to generate approximately $106.8 million in economic activity for New York City.
The Mayor was joined at Tavern on the Green in Central Park by Allan Steinfeld, President of the New York Road Runners Club (NYRRC), Parks Department Commissioner Henry J. Stern and Department of Transportation Commissioner Wilbur Chapman, for today's event.
"New York City is extremely proud to welcome runners and spectators from around the world to The Sports Capital of the World for the running of this year's New York City Marathon," said Mayor Giuliani. "One of the last premier international sporting events of this century, the Marathon is expected to generate over $100 million in direct and indirect spending and $5.3 million in local tax revenue for the City.
"The Marathon is truly a quintessential New York success story and has grown into one of the largest sporting events in the world, with more than 30,000 runners from all 50 states and more than 100 different countries," the Mayor continued. "More than two million people are expected to line the route throughout the City's five boroughs to cheer the runners, while millions more will watch at home. The New York City Marathon is just one more example of why New York City truly is The Sports Capital of the World."
The New York City Marathon will be broadcast live exclusively on WNBC Channel 4 for five hours. The broadcast will begin at 10:00 AM and end at 3:00 PM. In addition, NBC Sports will re-broadcast the race highlights nationally, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Logistical information about the Marathon can also be found on the World Wide Web at the New York City Marathon Home Page at http://www.nyrrc.org/mar.htm
The New York City Marathon was founded by Fred Lebow in 1970, when 127 runners completed four loops around Central Park. This year's race will begin in Staten Island at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge; continue through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx; and finish in Central Park. Since its inception in 1970, 470,000 runners have participated in the Marathon. The November 7th race is expected to draw over 2 million spectators and a television audience of 347 million in 150 countries.
Last year's winners were men's champion John Kagwe of Kenya, who ran the 26.2 mile course in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 45 seconds; and women's champion Franca Fiaconi of Italy, who finished in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 17 seconds.