NHL All-Star Game festivities are underway. A league-sized outdoor rink opened last Friday in McFerson Commons Park in the Arena District for a 10-day run. It is part of an All Star Winter Park, which includes the 200-by-85-foot rink, a snow slide, fire pits, food, music, heated tents, bleachers and four heated locker rooms. The slide will open on Thursday, and the game will be played on Sunday. Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman tells WCBE the game and related festivities are more signs that the city's image is changing.
"....it'll be another opportunity for the city to be recognized on a national, international basis. But for me it means breaking that glass ceiling that exists. When I first became mayor, I'm telling you, when I travel around the country, Columbus was viewed as "that small little town in Georgia... oh wait; oh, Columbus. Columbus Ohio." Used to be a time you had to add "Ohio". Times have changed. It's something I'm proud of. We need to do some more in that regard, we need to continue to market our city. If I was running for a fifth term that's one of the things I would really focus on, and have the private sector to help us. We have 15 Fortune 1,000 companies in the city of Columbus. How much of the world knows that those 15 Fortune 1,000 companies are in the city of Columbus, are headquartered in the city of Columbus? So, it would be an interesting thing, and a good thing, if the corporate sector, the private sector, the government sector and the civic environment could come together in a partnership that would market the city in a way that we've never done before. Because now we have something to market."
The Greater Columbus Sports Commission estimates more than 100 thousand people will be in town for All-Star Weekend, which will generate 12 million dollars in visitor spending and 50 million worth of media exposure.