Boards and bikes meant big bucks for Utah last September.

The three-day AST Dew Tour stop in Salt Lake City — featuring six major skateboarding, bicycle and freestyle motocross events — had an estimated economic impact of more than $12 million, according to figures released Friday by the tour and the Utah Sports Commission.

The commission said the event was the largest televised multisport and multivenue event in Utah since the 2002 Olympics.

"Utah certainly understands how to take on big events and make them bigger," the tour's president, Wade Martin, said in a prepared statement.

The statistics released Friday show the tour stop featured:

• 61,900 spectators.

• An estimated 10,000 hotel-room nights for visitors.

• More than $6 million in worldwide media value and exposure for the state.

• 37 hours of national TV coverage on seven outlets, including 4.5 hours on NBC and two hours on USA Network.

• 11 NBC nationally televised 30-second ads promoting Utah.

• 43 million media "impressions" through TV and print media for Salt Lake City and Utah.

• More than 30 minutes of Utah references in the broadcasts, ranging from announcer mentions to "beauty shots" of Utah scenery, features, graphics and logo exposure.

• Footage of Utah and Salt Lake City made available to more than 500 million households worldwide, including a live simulcast in Europe during prime time.

• 11 hours of live Fox Sports Radio broadcast coverage.

The AST Dew Tour started in June 2005. Its Utah stop was dubbed the Toyota Challenge.

"Utah playing host to major sporting events that provide both significant economic impact and global exposure once again highlights the value and important role hosting these key sporting events play in building Utah's economy and promoting Utah worldwide," said Jeff Robbins, the commission's president and chief executive officer.

Robbins, also a member of the Utah Board of Tourism Development, told the board Friday that Utah could host a tour stop again in 2008 and 2009.

---

E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com