SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif- The cost is always a big factor when cities decide whether or not they should host the Amgen Tour of California. San Luis Obispo put in a bid to become a starting host for the first time in four years. City officials said that's because of the time and cost to host the tour. This year, the city was offered a more affordable price.
"It was offered at around 30-thousand dollars, that's between hotel rooms, meals, and traffic control services with police," said Clint Pearce, from the cities Tourism Business Improvement District.
The City of Solvang has already hosted the tour four times and is bidding to be a host again. It costs Solvang about 150-thousand dollars because it is an all day affair. Solvang hosts a time trial, where a race begins and ends there. The money comes from fundraising and the city said its worth the money because tourism has increased.
The tour is seen in 216 countries and attracted 2 million spectators for 2012. Santa Cruz hosted the tour twice. In 2010 the city raised 200-thousand dollars for the event and had a 10-thousand dollar return, but still the city said it couldn't pull off the event again because of the costs.
Aptos played host for the first time ever during this year's tour. The city had to make up 100-thousand dollars from the event to cover the costs, but it hoped the tour would put the city in the spot light just like other central coast cities
"We'll be seen all over the world," said Pearce. The host cities will be announced mid-November.
