World ski championships bring visible benefits to Vail.

• Author: Sukin, Gigi
• Position: WINTER SPORTS

THE FIS ALPINE WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS rank among the most celebrated winter sporting events on the planet, beckoning Olympic-caliber racing talent from more than 70 countries. This winter--Feb. 2-15, to be exact--marks the first in 15 years the event returns stateside. (Plus, it's worth noting that all four U.S. appearances--first in Aspen in 1950 and again in 1989, 1999, and now 2015 in the Vail Valley--will have been in Colorado.)

A 2010 study directed by the University of Denver identified the value of "internationalizing Vail," and proposed drawing the Winter Olympics or the World Championships back to the Valley to achieve this goal.

"What we're looking for as a result of this sort of event is raising the profile of the Colorado ski industry as a whole," said Al White, director of the Colorado Tourism Office. "It really draws the attention of ski enthusiasts around the world to Colorado."

The budget for this year's showing hovered at $59 million, an amount that's "pretty small in comparison to other, similar events," according to Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation and 2015 Organizing Committee.

Roughly $50 million of the budget remains in Colorado, Folz said, explaining that when and if possible, spending is kept close to home. She pointed to Colorado-based businesses such as construction company Condit and event signage creator EPS Doublet, both headquartered in Denver, and involved in making the event possible.

Beaver Creek will serve as the primary racing venue--with the Birds of Prey men's course and new women's Raptor race course--while the town of Vail will host a variety of festivities, including opening ceremonies, medal ceremonies, concerts, film screenings, art exhibits and more. Stadium seating is free to the public.

Kevin O'Donnell, CEO of Avon-based Beck Building Co., has been stationed in the Valley for more than a decade and a half. He said the popularity of competitive skiing spectatorship has increased over the past 15 years, since the last U.S. stop for the FIS Championships.

White attributes that uptick to technology enabling fans to more easily follow events and athletes.

According to the economic impact estimate for the 2015 championships, the Vail...