March 19, 2010                                              For more Information contact:

For Immediate Release                                    Greg Stewart @ 248-7160

OVER 73,000 PEOPLE ATTEND RECENT DOME EVENTS

Yakima Valley SunDome staff is catching their breath after a grueling 18 days of activities.  From February 24^th through March 13^th, the SunDome and Yakima welcomed 73,296 event attendees, including the participating 96 WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association) basketball teams and team personnel.  An estimated 80% are from out of the area. 

All four corners of the State of Washington were represented by basketball teams, families and fans.  Included in the total number of event attendees were the some 5400 people who came for the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) event on March 7^th.      This particular wrestling event drew fans from Washington, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia.

WWE and the WIAA State Basketball playoffs boost Yakima’s economy through hotel room nights, restaurant business, gasoline for vehicles, plus the many retail businesses that benefit.  These four events had an estimated economic impact of over $6 million.

SunDome staff is now working on the Home Show, March 19-21, and the always popular WIAA Dance & Drill Competition on March 26 & 27. 

The Yakima Valley SunDome is owned by Yakima County and operated by the Central Washington Fair Association.  The SunDome will be celebrating its 20^th anniversary with a noon birthday luncheon on April 15^th.  Fair officials estimate over 14 million people have attended events, including annual Fair attendance, since the multi—purpose building opened its doors on January 20, 1990.                                  

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