This weekend’s Lake Logan Multi Sport Festival drew 550 athletes to Haywood County as visitors from across the south competed for cash prizes in swimming, biking and running.

The Saturday and Sunday event filled local restaurants, motels and campgrounds as the athletes plus their families enjoyed what Haywood has to offer.

Event organizer Greg Duff of Gloryhound Events calculates the economic impact of the event at $150,000, or about $30 per competitor, an admittedly low figure. The organization provides a lunch for the athletes and well as a breakfast Sunday morning.

While some of the athletes such as Paul Brewer-Jensen and his college-age daughters stayed in Asheville where they intended to spend Saturday night watching the Olympics, many stayed at Lake Logan where events started, both ...