‘Lion King’ visitors do arts industry some credit

Every time Spokane lands a big event, such as the Broadway tour of “The Lion King,” we hear breathless predictions about the millions of dollars that visitors will pour into our cash registers.

I’ve always been skeptical.

And then our friends from Montana showed up for “The Lion King.”

These four women – schoolteachers and retired schoolteachers from Big Timber – cut an impressive swath through downtown Spokane during their three-day visit.

They are not rolling in dough – Montana schoolteachers are not exactly on the Forbes Richest People list – but they certainly knew how to have a good time during an all-girls Broadway weekend in Spokane.

Here’s a brief synopsis of their visit:

Friday

•Pulled into the Red Lion River Inn, which they had booked as part of a “Lion King” package deal.

•Ate dinner at the hotel.

•Looked around for something to do and discovered that Mannheim Steamroller was playing at the Spokane Arena that night. They bought tickets and went.

Saturday

•Light breakfast at the hotel.

•Shopping at Auntie’s Bookstore, Macy’s, Nordstrom and other downtown stores.

•Lettuce wraps and noodle bowls at P.F. Chang’s.

•More shopping downtown. Shopped at Boo Radley’s for T-shirts with amusing Spokane-related themes. Purchased items made by regional artists at Artisans’ Wares.

•Dinner at Twigs downtown (and possibly a martini or two – I don’t have all of the information on that score).

•“The Lion King” at the INB Performing Arts Center.

Sunday

•Brunch at Madeleine’s Café and Patisserie downtown.

•Scenic driving tour of Spokane.

•Popped into a few more stores.

•Drinks and dinner at the Davenport Hotel’s Peacock Room.

•Back to the hotel.

Monday

•Headed back to Big Timber, after a full dose of Spokane culture and cuisine.

Now, I have no idea how much money they actually poured into Spokane, since it would be rude to ask and it would be even ruder to try to sneak a peek at their credit card records. However, I know that their ticket-hotel package alone must have added up to an impressive number.

And clearly, they did a yeoman’s job of supporting Spokane’s struggling restaurant and hospitality industry – and they enjoyed themselves tremendously while doing it.

“The Lion King” may sell up to 70,000 tickets by the end of its four-week run. If it’s like “Phantom of the Opera” a few years ago, more than half of the audience will be from more than 100 miles away. So, multiply these four Montana schoolteachers by thousands of people just like them and, well, you’re talking real money.

Maybe those economic predictions aren’t so crazy after all. And maybe, as shocking as this sounds, the arts really do matter. Not just to our city’s culture, but to its economy.