In 2021 - for the first time ever - the United States will host the International Association of Athletics Federations’ World Championships...in Eugene.
Tourist officials are delighted at the news. They say the event will build on an industry seeing steady growth across the state for more than a decade.
Todd Davidson is CEO of Travel Oregon. He says 200 different athletic federations from across the globe will converge on Eugene in August, 2021. And they’ll bring thousands of reporters with them.
“So it’s an opportunity for Oregon to benefit on a global stage, not only for the 10 days of the event, but for the weeks in advance when the teams come in to acclimate to Oregon," Davidson tells KLCC.
"And then for years afterwards because of what we think will be the momentum that’ll created with the journalistic coverage that we’ll have during the event.”
In the meantime, Eugene and the University of Oregon are building or renovating facilities ahead of the IAAF track and field championships.
Copyright 2019, KLCC.
