Economy Not Hurting Arnold Festival

The economy doesn't look to be hurting the Arnold Sports Festival. Organizers like Matt Lorz say they've had to make changes because they actually have more vendors than in years past. "They had to increase the size of the hall because last year we had 650 and this year we have 700 and a waiting list," Lorz said. The festival is happening in the middle of an economy that has left many businesses trying to trim costs but Lorz says the increased level of involvement shows just how popular the festival is. "I don't know if they're cutting out elsewhere in their marketing plan, but they've decided the Arnold is a place they must be," Lorz said. And whether it's the cheap admission or the allure of one of the biggest events in the city, Lorz says they're not having any trouble selling tickets. "165 thousand people is what we're guessing," Lorz said. "It's the increase we expected over last year." Last year's crowd was around 155 thousand.