Arnold Schwarzenegger is a name that the rest of the US might not closely associate with Columbus, but locals know him well as the founder of one of the city’s largest annual conventions: The Arnold Sports Festival. To honor the impact the event has had on the city, we even erected a statue of the bodybuilder outside Veterans Memorial in 2012, to celebrate the place where the event originated.
Fast-forward two years and we’re prepping to demolish Vets Memorial, but the statue and the event will live on. Former governor Schwarzenegger stopped by the Columbus Convention Center today to join Mayor Michael Coleman and Ohio Governor John Kasich in the re-dedication ceremony of the statue in its new High Street home, and also to announce that the US edition of the event will indefinitely be held in our city.
The Arnold Sports Festival will return in 2015 to take place March 5th through the 8th, with an expected attendance of over 175,000. The event generates over $42 million in annual visitor spending.
For more information, visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com.