The Huntsman World Senior Games returns to St. George in October, bringing around 12,000 senior athletes and millions of dollars to the community over a two-week period.
The event consists of 40 sports, including rowing, square dance, horseshoes and more. The two-week-long showcase is one of the largest events held for athletes 50 years and older, and it runs from Oct. 6-18.
Athletes can register in one sport or multiple sports. Each sport offers different skill levels, so any senior can compete. The Huntsman Games is also a qualifying event for the National Senior Games, held every two years.
The sporting events are held at venues across St. George. Banners line Main Street to advertise the Games, and one of the local locations hosting activities is Contact Climbing Gym.
Since they are one of the location hosts, they have gained more visibility from the Games, but not in sales, said Savanah Hartness, the gym’s operations manager.
Stores that sell sport-related items and restaurants see an increase in business and often bring in more employees to meet demand.
Ethan Osness, co-owner of Rock House Records, said the event doesn’t have much effect on their business since their main customers are high school and college students, not seniors. Meanwhile, Abby Larkin, an employee at the St. George Running Center on Main Street, said the store sees an uptick in customers shopping for shoes.
Bee Sweet, a family-owned ice cream store, has seen a rise in customers during the two-week event.
“We have like one or two people [working] but events like this, we will bring in an extra third person that will either be stuck [at the] register or going around and doing a little bit of advertising,” Cody Ross, a Bee Sweet employee, said. “And just kind of prepping, stocking up on extra ice cream, and our mix and stuff like that.”
Some community members have competed in the Games. Bryce Dickenson won a gold medal in pickleball, and said he stopped watching a few years later.
“I stopped watching because it got too big and unruly. [It] wasn’t that much fun and got me uninterested,” Dickenson said.
The Huntsman Games may not affect every business the same way, but the event continues to bring in millions of dollars for the St. George community.
