Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tourism topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Discover Klamath pitches UTMB and Ironman bids, estimates millions in economic impact
Summary
Discover Klamath reported rising tourism indicators and said it is pursuing UTMB and Ironman events for 2027 with three-year commitments, projecting $2.5M for UTMB and up to $15M for Ironman while planning logistics and regional cost-sharing.
Millie Osguthorpe, representing Discover Klamath, gave the Board a quarterly tourism update, citing positive occupancy rates and airport travel growth in Southern Oregon. She said Discover Klamath is actively recruiting events and is pursuing a UTMB trail running series and a full Ironman triathlon, both targeted for 2027 with proposed three-year commitments.
Osguthorpe outlined projected economic impacts that Discover Klamath attributed to the bids: she said UTMB could bring about 1,200 athletes and roughly $2.5 million in economic impact, while an Ironman event could draw 2,500 to 3,000 athletes and produce as much as $15 million. She described ongoing outreach to regional partners such as Travel Medford and the Southern Oregon Sports Commission, and noted discussions about sharing bid fees and coordinating volunteer, medical, and course logistics.
The Board discussed course layouts, medical support, volunteer needs and the idea of scheduling the events in shoulder seasons to avoid peak tourism periods. No formal county financial commitment was recorded at the meeting.
