FAYETTEVILLE — Iwas standing on the fourth level of the south side of Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday watchinga sea of red move up Razorback Road like a giant carpet. On the west side of the stadium was another sea of red that extended up Markham Road all the wayto Cross Avenue and beyond. An equal number of fans converged on the stadium from the north. An hour before the game against Georgia was set to begin the stadium was already half filled with excited fans.
I was reminded of what enormous importance the business of college football is to Fayetteville and to many cities like us across the country, like Austin, Texas, Oxford, Miss., Norman, Okla., and so many more. Motel and hotel rooms from Fort Smith to Bentonville filled to the max, while restaurants were booked solid Friday night. Bordino's was packed for a week. Doe's made an appearance on national television when ESPN commentator Todd Blackledge ate a giant steak on TV.
I don't know the exact amount, but experts say the money spent in Fayetteville during the weekend was in the tens of millions. Happily, the football program will bring four more monster crowds to town this fall and fill those hotels and restaurants once again.
People have money and tend to spend it where and when they choose.
I was privileged to watch the high-scoring game from the comfort of a private suite. The crowd of 74,210 became a wall of noise as Ryan Mallett fired three touchdown passes early and the Hogs took the lead. But Georgia roared back in the second half and ended the game with 52 points to the Hogs' 41.
The outcome was a bitter pill. Many viewed Georgia as the first real game of the Petrino era, and expectations were sky high - maybe way too high. There is a deep desire among the Arkansas faithful for the Hogs to return to the highest level of competition. It's obvious that dramatic improvements, especially on the defensive side of the ball, are needed if we are to deal successfully with future SEC opponents.
The next night we tuned in to the extravaganza from Arlington, Texas, where Jerry Jones opened his new Cowboys Stadium. It's impossible to describe on paper. The best perspective was the blimp shot from high above the stadium that included the nearby Texas Rangers baseball stadium. Rangers Ballpark, a giant facility in its own right, looked like a Little League field compared to the new monster. Jerry paid $1.3 billion for it and began reaping the rewards on Sunday with a reported 105,000 fans, not to mention millions in TV money.
The stadium seats about 75,000, and the tickets are very pricey. (In fact, Don Tyson purchased the very first private suite for $1 million.) But another 30,000 or so fans paid $29 for standing-room-only tickets. They can watch the game from lounge areas, eat or drink, and watch the game on the biggest TV screen in the world. To enter the playing field the Cowboys walked through one of the ground floor lounge areas, with giddy Cowboy fans taking digital pictures inches away. With the 'Boys set to play seven more home games, the professional football business will generate several million dollars in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this season alone.
Once again, people have money and tend to spend it where and when they choose.
Speaking of millions, beginning today we are expecting about 400,000 tattooed guests in our fair city for the 10th annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ. Hotels and motels from Fort Smith to Bentonville and on over to Eureka Springs are already booked solid. Most of these annual visitors wear black leather and transport themselves through the region on big, loud motorcycles.
For the most part, they are friendly creatures and will barely notice your presence if you do not approach them or attempt to feed them. Most of them are just like you, average people who wear normal clothing when at work back home. They are bankers, lawyers, carpenters, teachers, insurance salesmen and retired dentists. But during their week here in our town they are bikers. They like to bike, drink beer and eat. They'll be purchasing their beer and eats from local citizens, and therefore we welcome their noisy bikes up and down our streets.
People have money and tend to spend it where and when they choose. It's true.
Recession? What recession? Maybe we should try that school millage one more time.
Grady Jim Robinson lives in Fayetteville. His column appears on Wednesdays.
Opinion, Pages 4 on 09/23/2009