“Who Dey Think Gonna Beat Dem Dollars”

Talk about pent up demand. It’s easy to understand why the average Bengals’ fan is so excited about this Sunday’s Super Bowl. It’s also easy to see why even those remotely interested in football throughout the Tri-State area will be on pins and needles during the game.

After all, the last time the Bengals were in the Super Bowl, the average price of a new car was $10,400, the average rent $420 a month. A pound of pork chops would run you 40 cents. Things were certainly a lot different back in 1988.

Imagine the burst of civic pride that will happen when the Bengals win on Sunday. The city will be viewed differently. Tourism will see a dramatic uptick.

According to published reports, the Bengals got 127,000 mentions in January alone—more than nine times the exposure the team had last January—reaching some 22.6 million people. That kind of exposure would cost in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Now, civic organizations like REDI Cincinnati, the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber are already reaching out to convention planners, many of whom might not have even thought of Cincinnati as a possibility before.

People like to visit a winner.

And it’s not just the Bengals that will be a winner. Hundreds of small businesses across the Tri-State area are already benefitting from increased crowds and brisk sales. And that’s a fact that’s as money as, well, Money Mac.

Witness the local bars that have been pulling in huge crowds for game days across the season. Now think about the sales of Bengals apparel. Official merchandise partners are struggling to keep jerseys and souvenirs on their shelves—and it’s not from supply chain disruptions. Indeed, stores are reporting mobs of customers since the team’s win over the Chiefs, comparing every day crowds to those they see once a year on Black Fridays.

The most immediate impact will be felt over this weekend, as Bengals fans from around the region flood into town to witness the historic Super Bowl appearance. For the past two weeks, an advertising campaign, a collaboration between the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau and MeetNKY, has been reaching out to those regional fans.

“The Cincy region has come together to make sure this is an exciting weekend for visitors and residents alike to celebrate the historic season,” said Julie Calvert, president & CEO of the Cincinnati USA CVB. “There are many options, from family activities to special Bengals tailgates, themed food and beverages, and more. Visitors can celebrate the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day in one exciting destination.”

Indeed, VisitCincy.com has coordinated a Super Bowl guide outlining event details and direct links to hotels and other attractions. And you just know that many of those fans will opt to stay in downtown hotels after celebrating.

VisitCincy.com also gives fans links to hotels and packaging to purchase attraction tickets directly from the site. The site also has more tips for visiting, like where to see the playoff Game Balls that have been distributed by Coach Zac Taylor and ideas for planning a Cincy themed party at home if you can’t make it to LA or Cincy.

So what’s the bottom line?

While many experts and sports economists caution city officials and taxpayers that the economic impact of a Super Bowl visit is often overstated, it should be a big enough jolt to boost the region’s economy by somewhere in the neighborhood of $460 million, according to several published reports.

That’s not exactly chump change.

So regardless of what Cool Joe Burrow and the Bengals do this Sunday, all the communities of Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and the entire Greater Cincinnati region will already be winners.

It’s been long-awaited and overdue.