SINGAPORE, Feb. 4, 2025 ~ Denver, Colorado - ONE Championship (ONE), the world's largest martial arts organization, made a significant impact on the Denver region this past August with their event ONE 168: Denver at Ball Arena. According to a study conducted by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the event generated a total economic impact of $18 million for the area.

This was on par with similar events of its size that have previously come to Ball Arena, as reported by the EDC. The event drew a near-capacity crowd of just under 10,000 attendees, following its successful U.S. debut at the sold-out 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO in May 2023.

The study highlights some key statistics from ONE 168: Denver, including the fact that more than half of the near-capacity crowd traveled from out-of-state to attend the event. This resulted in over $15 million in economic impact, which accounted for 83% of the total $18 million impact.

Direct spending activity generated by ONE 168 exceeded $9 million and encompassed transportation, lodging, food and beverage, and leisure expenses. Notably, over 50% of fans traveled in from out of state, contributing $7.5 million to this total.

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Out-of-state attendees also traveled with an average of two additional people and stayed in Denver for an average of three nights. This resulted in nearly 6,590 room nights being attributed to the event and generating $1.4 million in direct impact for local hotels and short-term rentals.

The event also had a positive impact on labor income for Colorado residents, generating $6.3 million and supporting 146 jobs.

Hanna Scovill, Economist and Senior Manager of Economic Competitiveness for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Metro Denver EDC, emphasized the importance of supporting events like ONE 168: "This event successfully attracted a substantial number of out-of-state visitors, significantly boosting Colorado's economy and supporting local jobs through $15 million new dollars to the state. This underscores the importance of supporting the region's thriving arts, culture, and entertainment industry, which provides unmatched talent and incredible economic growth for Colorado."

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, expressed his pride in the event's impact on the Denver region: "We are incredibly proud to have generated $18 million in economic impact for the greater Denver region during ONE 168 this past September, as well as $108 million in media value from our global broadcast and digital stream for our partners. ONE Championship has some of the most passionate fans in the world, and we would like to thank them for traveling in, along with all our fans in Colorado for attending and making the event such a memorable night."

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Sityodtong also thanked local partners Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce for their support in making the event a success. He also hinted at future events in the U.S., stating that details will be announced soon.

Raymond H. Gonzales, Executive Vice President for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and President for the Metro Denver EDC, highlighted how events like ONE 168 can benefit businesses in all industries: "It's incredible to see the economic impact of ONE 168 in Metro Denver. The success of this event reflects how powerful a role our arts, culture, and entertainment industry plays in our economic prosperity. When we are able to attract so many visitors for a unique event like ONE Championship, businesses of all industries benefit from the influx of travelers and spend that fuels our communities."

For those interested in learning more about opportunities to bring a ONE event to their city or obtaining a copy of the report 'The Economic Impact of ONE 168' by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, please visit their website or email the organization. With the success of ONE 168: Denver, it is clear that ONE Championship has made a significant impact on the Denver region and will continue to do so in their future events.

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