UFC 229 generated record-breaking economic impact for Las Vegas

Press Release — UFC today announced that UFC 229: KHABIB vs. MCGREGOR generated $86.4 million in economic impact for the Las Vegas metropolitan area, according to a study conducted by research firm Applied Analysis. This marks the largest economic impact for a single UFC event measured globally to date.

UFC 229: KHABIB vs. MCGREGOR, which took place on Saturday, October 6, at T-Mobile Arena, set new records for attendance (20,034) and ticket revenue ($17,188,894) for UFC in Las Vegas. In addition to the $86.4 million in total economic output, the study concluded that the landmark event also contributed $17.2 million in salaries and wagesand supported an estimated 414 jobs in the Southern Nevada market. Visitors attending events related to UFC 229: KHABIB vs. MCGREGOR were responsible for an estimated $3.7 million in public revenues in Nevada.

“During the build up to UFC 229, I said it was going to be the biggest event in UFC’s history, and now we have all the numbers to prove it,” said UFC President Dana White. “Khabib vs. McGregor smashed our records for Pay-Per-Views, social media impressions, and global viewership, and now we know it set records for economic impact here Las Vegas.  None of this would have been possible without the support from the Las Vegas community and UFC’s loyal fans, the best in sports.”

Added Steve Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority: “Las Vegas has long been the fight capital of the world, and UFC 229 once again showed that combining UFC’s tremendous brand with the brand of Las Vegas is a win-win for everyone. We’re proud to be the home of UFC and to partner with them to put on some of the greatest events in the MMA world.”

UFC has been headquartered in Las Vegas since 2001 and hosts a minimum of four events annually in T-Mobile Arena, where UFC was named an Anchor Tenant in 2017.

Key Highlights of the UFC^® 229: KHABIB vs. MCGREGOR economic impact study:

• $86.4 million total economic output
• $17.2 million total salaries and wages paid
• 414 jobs supported in Southern Nevada
• $3.7 million total taxes paid by visitors
• 40% of UFC 229 visitors traveled from international locations
• 50% of attendees were between the ages of 21 to 34
• 50% of attendees reported an annual household income of $100,000 or more
• One in five attendees stayed in Las Vegas for at least five days
• Nearly two in five attendees reported spending more than $2,000 on non-gaming activities

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 1/28/2019.