America’s Cup Win Could Bring Southland $1 Billion, Report Says

If the Eagle Syndicate succeeds in bringing America’s Cup back to the United States in 1987, that victory could pump more than $1 billion into Southern California’s economy, according to a report released Monday by Chapman College.

Winning the prestigious yachting cup from the Australians--who took it from the Americans in 1983 for the first time in 132 years--would mean the next series of yacht races would be held off the coast of Southern California.

The domino effect of an Eagle Syndicate victory would create 1,600 jobs in the region and draw an additional 1.6 million people, said the forecast prepared by economics professor James Doti of Chapman College’s School of Business Management.

The study forecasts that Cup activities in the Los Angeles-Orange County area would generate $1.06 billion in additional economy activity, primarily through increased tourism and spending by the 24 teams expected to compete in the 1991 Cup series.

Orange County Supervisor Thomas Riley went so far as to predict that defending the America’s Cup could become a new “industry” for the county.

Eagle Challenge is one of the leading U.S. syndicates expected to compete against Australia’s Royal Perth Yacht Club in the next Cup series.

If Eagle wins the Cup in 1987, the Chapman study predicted that the 1991 series, and the World Cup races held the prior year, would boost economic activity as early as 1987 when the first teams arrive to begin training in Southern California waters.

Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth is an Eagle Challenge trustee.