The 80th edition of the Internazionali d'Italia, which for the first time shows a 96-player draw for both men's and women's tournaments (until last year there were 56 players), had an economic impact on Rome and Lazio in excess of 420 million euros. The tennis tournament set 450,000 people in motion: 300,000 paying spectators (20 percent of whom came from abroad) and 150,000 staff and insiders. Revenue from the ticket office - despite bad weather and counter-performances by the Italians - is expected to close over 22 million euros, with some controversy generated by a Central Court that was not completely sold out in some sessions, which was countered by a ground full of fans and very young people. The upgrade of the event involved an expansion of the Foro Italico Park site that also included the swimming pool complex, bringing the available area from 90 thousand to 125 thousand square meters (the equivalent of 160 tennis courts). Compared to the last edition, two more courts were set up, for a total of 17 spaces.
|