IT'S SECOND ONLY TO THE BALLOON FIESTA, ATTRACTING OVER 112-THOUSAND PEOPLE OVER THREE DAYS. IT'S THE GATHERING OF NATIONS WHICH GETS UNDERWAY THURSDAY IN ALBUQUERQUE. MICHELLE GARCIA WITH THE ALBUQUERQUE HISPANO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAY THE CHAMBER HAS RECENTLY COMPLETED A STUDY OF THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE EVENT.
GARCIA TELLS US IT BRINGS IN BETWEEN 16-MILLION TO 21-MILLION DOLLARS TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S A HUGE BOOST GOING INTO THE SUMMER. SHE SAYS SPENDING RELATED TO THE GATHERING GENERATES BETWEEN 16 MILLION AND 21 MILLION DOLLARS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THE GATHERING OF NATIONS BEGAN IN 1983 AND IS HELD AT THE "PIT" AT U-N-M. IT RUNS THROUGH THIS SATURDAY.
