Stock Show and Rodeo’s cancellation will cost Fort Worth businesses about $100 million
Fort Worth will miss out on about $100 million after the cancellation of the 2021 Stock Show and Rodeo, and while business owners recovering from the coronavirus slowdown will take another hit, they say the decision was understandable.
The Stock Show’s executive committee voted unanimously last week to cancel the 2021 event, scheduled for Jan. 15 through Feb. 6, as it became clear the three-week event posed a significant coronavirus risk. Daily attendance can exceed 140,000, according to organizers, with more than 1.2 million between competitors over exhibitors and attendees over the whole event.
With rodeo fans coming from across country, the event is easily one of Fort Worth’s biggest. The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo brings in about $88.6 million in spending, according to the most recent economic impact study. The number grows to more than $177.6 million when multiplied for related spending. Though the study is about 10 years old, Matt Brockman, stock show spokesperson, said attendance has stayed roughly the same.
The economic impact of not holding the Stock Show was a factor the committee considered, but public health outweighed it, he said.
“A spike in COVID-19 cases here locally would also have a major impact on the economy, you have to consider that,” Brockman said. “We don’t want to be the reason they take another hit.”
Shannon Wynne’s Rodeo Goat at 2836 Bledsoe St. is a popular for Stock Show and Rodeo visitors. He joked many folks from small towns aren’t accustomed to gourmet burgers, often saying “We’ve never paid $11 for a hamburger.”
“We have a lot of loyal patrons that come in from all over Texas that we look forward to seeing,” he said.
TCU’s family weekends are likely the busiest, but the Stock Show usually gives the Rodeo Goat about a few weeks sustained “excited interest,” Wynne said. But he said he understood why they made the decision, noting that moving forward would be a serious risk.
Entrepreneur Jonathan Morris, who owns Fort Worth Barber Shop south of Interstate 30 and the Hotel Dryce slated to open across Montgomery from Dickies Arena, said the pandemic had already altered business enough that the Stock Show cancellation likely wouldn’t be noticed.
Typically, the barber shop would get a few walk-ins from people in town for the show, but because of COVID precautions, visits are appointment only, he said.
Morris wanted to open Dryce, the boutique hotel at 3621 Byers Ave., in time to welcome rodeo goers, but construction delays have pushed the opening to later in 2021, he said.
Regardless, Morris said he understood the need to cancel the event.
“As much as I’d love to open up and benefit from the tens of thousands of people that would come through here, I think the Stock Show leaders made the right decision,” he said. “As a business in the community, we care about the community.”
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
