Skating to give Spokane the business

ST. LOUIS – Michael Lynch has his sales pitch on.

The same can be said for his staff of merchandise hawkers who are hoping that when the State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships sweep into Spokane next January, they’ll be peddling their warm and fuzzy fleece at the Spokane Arena and various other venues.

“I was in Spokane when my husband was going to Gonzaga,” said saleswoman Barbara Hechman, tipping her out-of-town hand by pronouncing the college “Gon-ZOG-a.” “I’d love to go to Spokane.”

Lynch is co-owner and president of AD Creations Promotions Group, a St. Louis company that has the exclusive rights to merchandising at the 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships this week in St. Louis. His temporary shops – stocked with logo items such as T-shirts, vests and jackets, pins and key chains, along with the wildly popular $120 to $135 Zuca travel bags – are set up in the Savvis Center, the championships’ main venue that seats 18,000; the Family Arena, the secondary venue; and at the Renaissance Hotel, where more than 2,600 event credentials are being distributed.

Lynch estimates he could gross between $200,000 and $300,000 during the eight-day event. He is part of the business community expected to pump about $15 million into the St. Louis economy, according to Mary Hendron, director of public relations for the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission.

The commission also estimates 9,000 nights of hotel rooms will be booked, a significant number during the usually slow and dreary month of January.

The Gateway City, however, already is a true champion regarding national sporting events. St. Louis has played host to 10 NCAA Division I championships in five sports over 10 years. Its biggest coup was the 2005 men’s basketball Final Four, generating $71.9 million into the city, Hendron said. Lodging directly accounted for $6.4 million.

Lynch is hoping his company is selected to work the Spokane event, scheduled for Jan. 21-28, 2007. Although he’s been casually yakking it up with anyone and anything Spokane, Lynch saves his best sales pitch for those who matter most – Toby Steward and Barbara Beddor of Star USA.

The omnipresent husband/wife Spokane promoters of the 2007 nationals get the final say-so on everything from who sells the T-shirts to how many seats to temporarily install in the Spokane Convention Center. The center will serve as a secondary venue for novice and some junior competitions, as well as for practices.

“What’s good about him (Lynch) is that he’s battle-tested,” said Beddor, who, along with Steward, visited Lynch’s business during a previous trip to St. Louis. Lynch said if Star USA decides to go with him, AD Creations would team with local Spokane embroiderers and silkscreen merchants.

Steward said decisions such as the vending contracts won’t be made until after the World Figure Skating Championships in March. Steward and Beddor, who will be attending the event in Calgary, announced three months ago they plan to bid on the 2009 world championships. Steward said a lot of their attention has shifted to preparing their bid package.

While Lynch hasn’t booked a room for next year’s nationals, there are some in St. Louis who already know they’ll be working the Spokane event.

Sheryl Scarborough, a Washington, D.C., resident who works for the Federal Aviation Administration, already has committed to flying to Spokane next January. A figure skating super-fan, Scarborough has volunteered at three national championships, one world championship and this year’s Skate America in Atlantic City, N.J. She is one of 725 volunteers in St. Louis, where she was given the high profile responsibility of computer technician at the credential center.

Scarborough, who will work double-digit hours until check-in traffic slows, purchased an all-event ticket package solely to watch as many senior disciplines as possible.

“She’s great. Everybody knows her, everybody loves her,” said Spokane volunteer chairman Paul Kays, who met Scarborough at last year’s nationals in Portland.

Kays said he expects at least a dozen out-of-towners will come to Spokane on their own as volunteers. The number of out-of-town fans could reach as high as 60 percent of ticket sales, Beddor said.

While there is no shortage of volunteers roaming around St. Louis in their complimentary black U.S. nationals jacket vests, Steward and Beddor anticipate the number needed to help in Spokane will be far fewer. About 600 volunteers were used at last year’s championship in Portland.

For starters, the volunteer transportation staff will be much smaller. While the Savvis Center and Family Arena are 26 miles apart, and the downtown hotels are spread over several blocks, Spokane’s event will be contained within a one-mile radius.

Kays said that while he’s been receiving e-mails inquiring about volunteering for months, the big push for filling the spots will begin on March 1. For volunteer information, go to www. Spokane2007.com.

“Right now, I’m here watching, talking to people and taking names,” he added.