Mystic — A report commissioned by the Hartford Marathon Foundation, the group that stages the popular Mystic Half Marathon annually in May, estimates the event generates $1.8 million for the local economy.

The race, which attracts 2,000 runners, many of whom spend the weekend in Mystic with their families, quickly sells out its entries each year. The race began in 2015.

“I thought it was important to provide tangible information rather than just say the race is a really good thing for the community,” marathon foundation Executive Director Beth Shluger said about why the study was done. “We wanted to show this is a good thing for the Mystic region."

The study used a combination of direct and indirect spending by merchants and employees to come up with the impact figure.

The report estimates that 5,000 spectators joined the 2,000 runners in spending money in local restaurants, hotels and shops. Seventy-five percent of participants said they came from a distance and 41 percent of spectators and runners spent an overnight in the area. Ninety percent of the runners and spectators gave the event and their experience in Mystic high satisfaction scores and 67 percent of those who came “a great distance” said they would participate again.

Shluger said that the Hartford Marathon, held each October, generates $14.3 million annually for that city. The marathon foundation holds 40 races a year across the state that attract 43,000 runners.

Shluger said she was not surprised by the Mystic race’s economic impact, as the numbers reflect what she expected.

Stonington officials have approved an increase of 200 runners to the field next year, but Shluger said the foundation has been very careful about how it expands because the narrow roads the race is run on still need to allow emergency vehicles to pass.

As for expanding the event in the future, she said it could become a two-day event with various length races through the weekend. At this point that is not being proposed.

Shluger praised the cooperation of Stonington officials and merchants for helping make the event successful.

“It takes the whole community to make something like this happen, where people come and spend their money,” she said.

Stonington First Selectmen Rob Simmons said that having races in town is “smart business,” as they stimulate the economy and generate much more in revenue for businesses compared with the cost of any town services they may require.

j.wojtas@theday.com