PROVIDENCE – With the Army-Navy football game set to kick off at Gillette Stadium on 3 p.m. Saturday in Foxborough, Mass., Rhode Island is expecting quite an economic touchdown this weekend.
Plus, there’s optimism that with the success of being a host for Army-Navy, Rhode Island feels it can accommodate visitors from around the world when another major “football” event comes to the U.S. three years from now.
Banners, both cloth and digital, are decorating various areas of the city, including along the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Hotel occupancy is higher now than what it normally is during the early winter months locally, and special events both at the downtown arena and in the city will help mark the occasion of one of college football’s oldest traditions visiting New England for the first time – and putting the Ocean State on a national stage.
Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO and President Kristen Adamo told Providence Business News on Thursday that about 85% of the hotel rooms are currently occupied with visitors, including family of the approximately 1,700 U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen who are coming to the state for the game. State officials on Friday will formally welcome the midshipmen to the Ocean State at both the convention center, where about 750 midshipmen will stay, and The AMP.
Adamo said the booking pattern for hotels for this weekend has been “very last minute,” and it is “very possible” hotel rooms locally will sell out. But the occupancy rate for this weekend’s game is more than double than what the state would normally see in any other year, Adamo said.
While the early economic impact outlook for the state is still “very conservative,” Adamo said the direct spend impact for Rhode Island with the Army-Navy game at Gillette Stadium is projected to be around $3.1 million. That, she said, is a “really good” number considering the game is not being played in Rhode Island – Gillette Stadium is about 30 minutes from the city of Providence – and that the state in the past has had about $7 million in total economic impacts when the it hosted the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in 2010 and 2016.
“When you look at it that way, the $3.1 million is really significant, and we’re thrilled,” Adamo said. “Also, this gives us an opportunity to be seen on a national stage and that’s priceless.”
Extensive marketing helped the state benefit economically this coming weekend. Adamo said R.I. Commerce Corp. conducted “niche marketing” within the military sector, advertising Providence and all of Rhode Island with military trade publications and at separate U.S. Army and U.S. Navy football games earlier this year. She also said Gillette Stadium “has been incredible” in helping promote Providence for visitors to stay.
Plus, given that there will be people visiting Rhode Island for the first time this weekend, according to Adamo, the state will also jump at the opportunity to showcase one of its signature outdoor events. Adamo said there will be a special basin WaterFire event, which will be sponsored by General Dynamics Electric Boat, to honor the Army-Navy game Friday at 5:30 p.m.
“It’s a great way to showcase the city and it’s something unique that only Providence does,” Adamo said.
Other events in the state this weekend include World Wrestling Entertainment hosting a special SmackDown event, titled “Tribute to the Troops,” on Friday at The AMP to honor U.S. military members and their families. Also, Adamo said PWCVB will have about 40 volunteers stationed throughout the city, the Providence Train Station and at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick to help provide information to visitors coming for the game. She said the state wants to make “a big presence” for visitors to assist visitors with any information about the Ocean State they are seeking. PWCVB also made
a website dedicated to promoting all the events within Rhode Island in connection with the Army-Navy game.
Moving forward, Rhode Island will also look to benefit from other significant sporting events coming to the state over the next couple of years. Providence this spring will be a host city for the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament, with games being played at The AMP March 29-31. Then,
“March Madness” returns to the city in 2025. Adamo said local convention officials “drew upon” their past work hosting the NCAA men’s basketball tournament to work on hosting Army-Navy.
In 2026, the U.S. will host the FIFA World Cup, and Gillette Stadium will be one of the sites used for the premier international soccer tournament. Adamo says for the state to show Gillette Stadium officials that Rhode Island and its capital city can “roll out the red carpet” and be a collaborator with the 68,000-seat stadium when visitors come to New England for major sporting events “is important.”
“For us, the way we have been treating [Army-Navy] is as an audition [for bigger events],” Adamo said. “We’ve looked in the past to partner with Gillette Stadium for sporting events, and I’ll think there will be more of that in the future.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
