Rotarians Sticking Around to Enjoy SLC

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) The Rotary International Convention ended in Salt Lake City yesterday, but attendees from all over the world are sticking around for the weekend. Scott Beck of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau says that's one reason hosting the convention was such a coup (coo) for the city:

"When they come from India, New Zealand and Africa, they don't just come for the five days of the show," says Beck. "And the nature of Rotarians is they are civic-minded and love to experience the communities where they are."

Beck says several downtown hotels are still filled with Rotarians now touring Park City and more distant Utah tourist spots. That's unusual for most other conventions hosted in Salt Lake City where attendees mainly come from other states, rather than other countries. The International Rotary Convention drew just over 17-thousand people, which is slightly less than the annual Outdoor Retailer show.

But Beck says the Rotarians brought more family members than do Outdoor Retailer attendees, and that adds up to an estimated 15-million dollars for the local economy. Beck predicts downtown restaurants and shops will be extra busy this weekend with holdovers from the Rotary convention and thousands of law enforcement officials in town for a gathering of the National Sheriff's Association.

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