Tallahassee Tourism Gains Momentum with Major Events, Including PBR Bull Riding
COLLEGE TOWN, FL — Tallahassee is experiencing a surge in tourism, driven by a series of successful events that are bringing thousands of visitors and millions of dollars in revenue to the city. With the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event scheduled for March 13 and 14, local leaders anticipate continued economic growth.
Economic Impact of Recent Events
Leon County leaders report that large-scale events are generating significant economic impact and bolstering tourism across the Capital City. Recent highlights include the World Athletics Cross Country Championships and the Savannah Bananas baseball team.
Leon County Commission Chairman Christian Caban highlighted the success of the Savannah Bananas’ visit. “This event, Savannah Bananas, over the 3-day long weekend, brought in over 80,000 visitors, and brought in over $9 million in estimated economic impact. That’s a good sign of a healthy tourism industry,” Caban said. He also credited Florida State University for spearheading the event. [Source: news-usa.today]
Focus on Sports Tourism and Community Events
Caban emphasized the importance of diversifying events to attract a wider audience. “We’re pushing for more sports tourism. I think this is what makes a lively community when you have stuff going on around the year. And it’s not just football, not just basketball, it’s not just baseball. We’re bringing in fun community events, events families can go to, events folks from rural communities can come and enjoy. This is what it means to have a lively community,” he stated. [Source: news-usa.today]
PBR Bull Riding at Doak Campbell Stadium
The PBR event is set to take place on March 13 and 14 at Doak Campbell Stadium. [Source: Visit Tallahassee] The event will feature two nights of elite bull riding competition and stadium concerts. On March 13, Jon Pardi will perform following the opening rounds, and Miranda Lambert will perform on March 14 after the final rounds. [Source: Visit Tallahassee]
Local Businesses Benefit from Increased Foot Traffic
Local restaurants in the College Town area are experiencing increased foot traffic due to the influx of visitors. Scott Nelson, owner of Nelson’s Burger Bar, noted the positive impact on his business. “For us it means a lot for us. With us being surrounded here by all the hotels too, it brings a lot of extra revenue down here…It brings people from outside of Tallahassee inside Tallahassee. They get to see all of the local restaurants in this area too, so it helps out a lot.” [Source: news-usa.today]
PBR Event Details
The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour will be held at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on March 14 and 15, 2025. [Source: Tucker Civic Center] Forty bull riders will compete in Round 1. The top 36 riders from Round 1 will advance to Round 2, and the top 10 will compete in the championship round. [Source: Tucker Civic Center]
County leaders believe that attracting national events like the PBR will help sustain tourism growth and support local businesses throughout the community. [Source: news-usa.today]