A look at NFL training camp sites.
NFC
TEAM: Dallas Cowboys
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: San Antonio
2010 DATES: July 23-Aug. 6 in San Antonio, Aug. 14-27 in Oxnard, Calif.
ECONOMIC IMPACT: This is the fifth and final year of a contract to use the Alamodome without paying any rent. The city has blocked use of the stadium from July 25 to Aug. 13 in hopes that the Cowboys will still be coming. They don’t plan to go to California. Though San Antonio is a major city, plenty of fans come from out of town to watch the open-to-the-public practices.
TEAM: New York Giants
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: University of Albany, Albany, N.Y.
2010 DATES: Aug. 1-20
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The university doesn’t profit financially, but has value in enhanced publicity. “Giants training camp” is the top search term for external visitors for the weeks leading up to and including summer training camp, according to school officials. Last year, with a total of 16 days of practice, the Giants drew 39,875 people, an average of 2,492 per day. They need to eat, so plenty of area restaurants would take a hit.
TEAM: Philadelphia Eagles
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.
2010 DATES: July 20-28
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Lehigh is still keeping open a spot for the Eagles, who traditionally have a big economic impact on Bethlehem’s tourist destinations. Camp brings fans by the thousands to the Lehigh Valley. The university traditionally collects dorm fees from the team—buildings that would usually sit vacant. Restaurants and bars would take the biggest hit.
TEAM: Washington Redskins
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Ashburn, Va., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 29-Aug. 19
ECONOMIC IMPACT: There is minimal economic impact, with training camp at the team’s year-round facility, but about $600,000 for Virginia’s Loudoun County, according to county officials, mostly from fans eating at local restaurants and staying in nearby hotels. “That helps put us on the map. How many people know where Loudoun County, Virginia, is?” said Visit Loudoun president Patrick Kaler. The team itself would take a hit, too, from merchandising tents at practices.
TEAM: Chicago Bears
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Ill.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 20
ECONOMIC IMPACT: There is about $2 million in direct impact, and $3.4 million in indirect impact, from the Bears, according to the Kankakee County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Those figures are based on 60,000 visitors spending an average of $38 per day. The co-owner of T.J. Donlin’s, a popular bar near campus, said business is up 2 1/2 times the usual rate during camp.
TEAM: Detroit Lions
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Allen Park, Mich., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 31-Aug. 25
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Lions pays for players to stay at a nearby hotel, the one significant local business that will take a hit if there’s not a training camp this year. The Lions spent about $300,000 there last year on rooms and late-night snacks.
TEAM: Green Bay Packers
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Green Bay, Wis., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 31-Aug. 31
ECONOMIC IMPACT: An estimate of impact from 2009 training camp was approximately $7.4 million, based on 34,000 attendees. More than 80 percent of them are from outside Brown County, and they stay an average of nearly two days. Fred Monique, president of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce: “It’s going to be a fairly significant hit in terms of impact, because we have a number of people where that is their vacation.”
TEAM: Minnesota Vikings
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minn.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 12
ECONOMIC IMPACT: According to Anna Thill, president of the Greater Mankato Convention and Visitors Bureau, the economic impact of Vikings camp is $5 million over the 2 1/2 -week period. More than 60,000 fans attended last year, from 30 states plus England and Canada. Many fans can day-trip from the Twin Cities, about a 90-minute drive north, but plenty of restaurants and other businesses would take a hit if camp is canceled. University officials don’t anticipate financial problems, but the national exposure camp brings to the school is a marketing tool.
TEAM: Atlanta Falcons
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Flowery Branch, Ga., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 21
ECONOMIC IMPACT: None. The Falcons hold camp at their main complex in suburban Atlanta, which includes dorms on the grounds. Fans can watch some practices, but there are only a few restaurants nearby that would be effected.
TEAM: Carolina Panthers
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Wofford College, Spartanburg, S.C.
2010 DATES: July 28-Aug. 18
ECONOMIC IMPACT: No study has been conducted since 1996, according to the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, though attendance at training camp last year was 26,760. Wofford athletic director Richard Johnson: “It’s great to have them here. It’s a real positive for the region.”
TEAM: New Orleans Saints
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Metairie, La., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 30
ECONOMIC IMPACT: John F. Young Jr., president of Jefferson Parish, said the loss of training camp would not represent a major economic hit in his suburban New Orleans parish of about 434,000 residents. Local officials have not studied the economic effect of Saints training camp, which has been held locally off and on over the years. The Saints rent dozens of rooms at an airport hotel and meeting space for several weeks.
TEAM: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Tampa, Fla., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 7
ECONOMIC IMPACT: There would be minimal impact with team’s training facility essentially self-contained. All meals are eaten on campus, and the team owns free parking lots adjacent to the complex. It’s surrounded by hospitals, businesses and a residential area that does not rely on the Buccaneers or the few hundred fans that attend the limited open-to-the-public practices.
TEAM: Arizona Cardinals
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Ariz.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 21
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Cardinals have had training camp at Northern Arizona since 1988, when the team moved to Phoenix. According to a 2010 economic impact study by the school’s Rural Policy Institute, last year brought in $7 million to the local economy and had an overall impact of $10 million. There were over 38,000 visitors during the three-week camp, with 81 percent of those coming from out of town. There also were 122 jobs created.
TEAM: San Francisco 49ers
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Santa Clara, Calif., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 27
ECONOMIC IMPACT: With only some practices open to fans and the Niners training at their home facility, Santa Clara city officials expect minimal impact if training camp is canceled.
TEAM: Seattle Seahawks
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Renton, Wash., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 30-August 20
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Fans have been allowed inside the Seahawks training facility each of the last two years to watch camp. That hasn’t meant much for the immediate area, but the nearby retail center where fans are bused in from has seen an August boon.
TEAM: St. Louis Rams
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Earth City, Mo., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 28-Aug. 24
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Rams officials believe most fans attending training camp practices open to the public are locals. The team has discussed training in Rolla, Mo., but those plans have been on hold in light of the lockout.
AFC
TEAM: Buffalo Bills
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: St. John Fisher College, Pittsford, N.Y.
2010 DATES: July 29-Aug. 24
ECONOMIC IMPACT: There have been no studies to guage the economic impact the Bills have on the Rochester area, though they attract up to 100,000 fans a year since establishing their camp at St. John Fisher in 2000, about a 90-minute drive east of Buffalo. Most fans make day trips, but local restaurants and other businesses would feel a hit, according to Steve Salluzzo, St. John Fisher director of auxilliary services.
TEAM: Miami Dolphins
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Davie, Fla., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 30-Sept. 1
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Dolphins hold training camp at the same complex they use throughout the year, and little economic is expected if camp is curtailed, said Peter Tokar, economic development manager for the town of Davie. Assistant manager Chris Moffitt at the Quarterdeck restaurant, a block from the complex, said business there would take a big hit: “There’s a huge difference. For training camp this entire place fills up after a middle-of-the-day practice.”
TEAM: New England Patriots
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Foxborough, Mass., at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 29-Aug. 16
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Patriots are one of many teams holding training camp at their year-round facility, which means little economic impact for the area around Boston.
TEAM: New York Jets
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: SUNY Cortland, Cortland, N.Y.
2010 DATES: Aug. 1-19
ECONOMIC IMPACT: According to a university report, training camp attracted 41,000 visitors the first two weeks in August last year, from 32 states and four Canadian provinces, while spending $2.6 million. Though nearly 90 percent were from New York, 59 of 62 counties were represented. The overall economic effect has been pegged at $5.8 million, with spectators at last summer’s camp accounting for 82 percent of that spending. The school would lose more than 60 three-week sports management internships if camp must be canceled.
TEAM: Baltimore Ravens
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: McDaniel College, Westminster, Md.
2010 DATES: July 26-Aug. 13
ECONOMIC IMPACT: More than 110,000 fans flocked to McDaniel College last year, and many stopped by for lunch in Westminster on their way home. Also, the Ravens almost completely filled the Best Western Hotel, which would be forced to re-book dozens of rooms if training camp is canceled. If there is no training camp, the economic impact would be “significant,” said Ethan Seidel, vice president of administration and finance at McDaniel College.
TEAM: Cincinnati Bengals
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Georgetown College, Georgetown, Ky.
2010 DATES: July 27-Aug. 13
ECONOMIC IMPACT: John Simpson, executive director of the Georgetown/Scott County Tourism Commission: “It’s a nice addition to our summer. It’s not going to be devastating, but certainly it’s going to be felt if it’s not here.” Hotels and restaurants would take the biggest hit. The town about 100 miles south of Cincinnati relishes the exposure, too: “You can’t put a price on it, to be honest,” Simpson said.
TEAM: Cleveland Browns
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Berea, Ohio, at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 31-Aug. 19
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Browns hold camp at their year-round headquarters, and their absence this summer would have small affect on local businesses. The team estimated more than 39,000 fans attended open-to-the-public practice sessions last season.
TEAM: Pittsburgh Steelers
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 20
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Fans at training camp typically stop at Sharky’s Cafe, the closest bar to camp, for dinner or a beer. Owner John Huemme said business can be brisk with attendance for open practice sessions estimated at 15,000 to 20,000 per day. Sharky’s doubles or triples its staff and inventory to prepare for the crush. Local officials don’t have a dollar amount on the financial impact, but it would hurt local businesses if camp were canceled.
TEAM: Houston Texans
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Houston, at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 30-Sept. 3
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Texans train across the street from Reliant Stadium, so the overall effect for a canceled camp would be small, save for team employees. Greg Ortale, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the city of Houston has not done an economic impact study on the possibility of cancelled games or a lost season.
TEAM: Indianapolis Colts
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Anderson University, Anderson, Ind.
2010 DATES: Aug. 1-18
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Anderson officials estimated last year’s camp pumped about $6 million into the struggling city about 45 miles northeast of Indianapolis, after the Colts returned from Terre Haute for the first time since 1998. Early last summer, unemployment in the metropolitan area was 11.6 percent, and the city’s two high schools have been consolidated into one.
TEAM: Jacksonville Jaguars
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Jacksonville, Fla., at team headquarters.
DATES: July 28-Aug. 5
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Jaguars don’t charge admission or parking for open practices and have relatively low attendance, which means minimal impact from training camp.
TEAM: Tennessee Titans
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Nashville, Tenn., at team headquarters.
DATES: July 31-Aug. 26
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Crowds are rarely bigger than 1,000 for open-to-the-public practices, and parking is free. The biggest impact would be to the nearby hotel that houses rookie players and the caterer that supplies meals at the facility.
TEAM: Denver Broncos
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Englewood, Colo., at team headquarters.
DATES: July 31-Aug. 12.
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Broncos don’t allow concessions or charge for parking at their training camp, which is held at their normal practice facility. The only seasonal business is a trailer run by the team’s pro shop that sells T-shirts and other merchandise.
TEAM: Kansas City Chiefs
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, Mo.
2010 DATES: July 28-Aug. 12
ECONOMIC IMPACT: There’s about $21 million on the line, including $19 million in one-time construction of climate-controlled indoor practice building and other facilities for the Chiefs at Missouri Western State University. Otherwise, economic impact will be about $1.5 million to $1.8 million, according to a study by the school.
TEAM: Oakland Raiders
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: Napa, Calif.
2010 DATES: July 27-Aug. 26
ECONOMIC IMPACT: With practices closed to the public and a brisk tourism market in wine country, the economic impact would be minimal, though Napa city manager Mike Parness said the name recognition and association with the Raiders “is very positive and something we treasure.” The biggest impact would be at the Napa Valley Marriott, where the Raiders normally stay.
TEAM: San Diego Chargers
TRAINING CAMP LOCATION: San Diego, at team headquarters.
2010 DATES: July 30-Aug. 24
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Chargers have estimated nearly 10,000 fans annually attend their fan fest during camp, and practices are open to the public for a few weeks, but by staying in town the impact of a canceled camp would be minimal at most.
