$55K city taxdollars spent to bring Amazing Race Canada to Sudbury

Greater Sudbury's star turn on the Amazing Race Canada cost the city $55,000 taxdollars.

The money came from the budget of the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation, which oversees tourism.

Chair Darren Stinson said there was very little debate about making this investment, when it first came up last year.

"Actually no, there was a lot of discussion about how absolutely fantastic it was," he said.

"This was the City of Greater Sudbury's Super Bowl commercial."

Stinson said he cannot discuss exactly how the money was spent, as that is still covered by the confidentiality agreement the city signed with Bell Media.

But the city says the money does cover the cost of allowing Greater Sudbury to use Amazing Race brand and visual materials in its marketing, as well as the cost for a Sudbury tourism television commercial that aired during the broadcast.

He said he was asked to reveal the figure by Mayor Brian Bigger, who's been asked pointed questions about why the number was not being made public.

Stinson said in terms of tourism marketing, this is not a large figure.

"$55,000 won't get you a full-page ad in a national newspaper or in a national publication like MacLean's. And we've received 60 minutes of exposure on prime-time TV."

The popular reality TV show filmed an episode in Sudbury in May, that aired earlier this month. Hundreds of Sudburians turned up at Science North for a special viewing party to watch Amazing Racers visit a nickel mine, Laurentian University and Bell Park.

The city has called this an "unprecedented opportunity" for Sudbury tourism and reported that some hotels have already had bookings directly related to the Sudbury episode of the show.