City agrees to deal with organizers of Aug. triathlon

LACONIA — The City Council agreed Monday that the city will act as the hub for a triathlon that organizers say will attract 4,000 competitors and bring an additional $8 million in economic activity to the region.

The council voted 6-0 in favor of the city underwriting the cost of certain support services for the event during the weekend of Aug. 21 and 22.

City Manager Scott Myers calculated that the services the city would provide would cost $16,350 over the two days.

The money would cover the cost of police needed to provide traffic control, one staffed Fire Department ambulance on standby for any race-related medical calls, two industrial-sized garbage bins, along with two Public Works employees to monitor waste collection, message boards, and the use of the Laconia Middle School gym. The latter will serve as the registration site for competitors. In addition, the city will waive the fees it normally charges for the use of city park facilities.

The agreement is for three years. Although this year’s triathlon will take place in August, Audra Tassone-Indeck, a regional director for Ironman Group, said organizers are looking to hold the 2022 and 2023 events in September.

Current plans call for the 1.2-mile swim phase of the triathlon to take place at Ellacoya State Beach in Gilford. But Tassone-Indeck said that, potentially, that event could be moved to Weirs Beach.

The 56-mile bike ride would follow a course from the swim venue to Loudon and then to Laconia, where the start-finish line for the 13.1 mile road race would be set up in Opechee Park. The last leg of the running course would be up Main Street, through downtown, and back to Opechee Park.

Councilors voted to cap the maximum amount the city would pay for support services at $20,000. If the costs total less than $20,000, the city will return the difference to event organizers.

Myers said money to cover those costs would come from the current fiscal year’s budget.

Scott Langen, another Ironman Group regional director who participated in the teleconference meeting, estimated the event would result in an $8 million economic boost to the region.

Registration for the event is expected to begin either late this month or early in March, he said.

Mayor Andrew Hosmer said Celebrate Laconia – a local collaborative which promotes economic and cultural development in the city – and several local businesses had voice support for Laconia hosting the event.

Hosmer said it was his hope that local businesses and nonprofit organizations would be able to benefit from the two-day event, which Councilor Robert Soucy supposed could draw as many as 10,000 to 15,000 people to the city, in addition to the competitors.

Under the terms of The Ironman Group proposal, organizers are committed to making a $10,000 donation to benefit nonprofit groups in the city, as well as $20,000 that will be disbursed to organizations that enlist volunteers to carry out various functions during the event.