The addition of 15,000 athletes to Ames over the weekend helped the area economy thrive while also providing an atmosphere for a successful Iowa Games competition.

Julie Weeks, Executive Director of the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she rates the weekend as a complete success.

“It went very well,” she said.

“Overall I was very pleased with how smoothly things went. People seemed to have a good time and business around Ames was great.”

Weeks said she estimates that over the three days, two million dollars was spent by the athletes, their families and fans.

Kim Prowant, manager of Perkins Restaurant, 325 S. Duff Ave., said she estimates that business over the weekend increased by 20 percent with the prime increase coming in the daytime hours, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Prowant said she spent most the weekend in the restaurant and if there was one sentiment being echoed over and over again by the customers, it was about the heat.

“I just heard they were all hot,” she said.

“If I talked to anyone, all they talked [about] was the heat.”

Linda Christensen, manager of Microtell Inn & Suites, 2216 S.E. 16th St., and University Inn, 229 S. Duff Ave., echoed the thoughts of Prowant.

“I heard lots of comments about the heat all weekend,” she said.

“They all just kept saying, `I’m glad it’s cool in here.'”

Jan Williams, Convention Services Manager of the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she thought the heat made more of a difference with the families and fans rather than the athletes.

“The heat affects the parents and spectators more than the athletes,” she said.

“The athletes are really prepared for every kind of weather. They’re in good shape, and it really didn’t seem to bother them at all.”

Weeks agreed with Williams.

“It was definitely a factor in the games as a whole, but really it came to those who were watching and not the athletes,” Weeks said.

The Iowa Games relies on a strong volunteer base to make it through the weekend smoothly.

Williams said that they continued to put out a call for volunteers until Sunday, and it seemed to work.

“Overall the volunteer support was very strong,” she said.

“We had a few places where parents and fans stepped in and helped, but that really was the rarity.”

Williams also said she thought the games were a success both from an athlete’s standpoint and business wise.

“It went very well. Most of the athletes were very pleased with the facilities here,” she said.

“Overall economic increase on the Iowa Games was very positive. We don’t have a calculator at every turn to see how much everyone is spending, but we do know that whenever that many people get together, they’re going to spend money.”