Is Ironman limping?

A hallmark summer event that has been estimated to bring millions of dollars annually to the Coeur d’Alene economy may be at risk.

Steve Wilson, Coeur d’Alene Chamber president, said Wednesday the chamber is working to renegotiate its contract with the World Triathlon Corp., which owns the Ironman brand.

Wilson wouldn’t, however, say if the classic summer race in Coeur d’Alene — which combines running, swimming and biking and is a qualifier for the Ironman world championships in Hawaii — is in jeopardy.

“We’ve had a long relationship with Ironman, and we’d like that to continue for as long as it’s mutually beneficial,” Wilson said.

The questions of whether the city’s tie to the classic event is on shaky ground was raised at Tuesday night’s city council meeting when Riverstone developer and two-time Ironman competitor John Stone told the council he heard future Ironman races could be canceled.

“Maybe it’s just a rumor,” Stone said. “I hope it is ... [but] a lot of them have some facts behind them.”

Mayor Steve Widmyer responded by assuring Stone the city is committed to keeping the iconic event in Coeur d’Alene, and that no one on the council, or in the city, is against hosting the event. Negotiations, though, are between the chamber and the racing company. The city, Widmyer said, is not involved.

“No one in the city has said we want to cancel Ironman,” Widmyer said. “We’re committed to supporting Ironman to the extent they want to be here.”

A Press call Wednesday to Ironman headquarters was not immediately returned.

The chamber two years ago entered into its latest three-year contract with World Triathlon, agreeing to sponsor the event that can draw 2,000 athletes. But lagging participation and concerns about the weather for the traditionally-June event resulted in a split: The half Ironman, a 70.3-mile event will take place June 25 this summer, and the full 140-plus-mile Ironman is scheduled for late August.

Stone was concerned that one or both of those events may go away in the future.

“It would be a shame to terminate this arrangement without reconsideration in the community,” Stone said. The local business community would take a hit if that happened, he said.

Although projections have shown Ironman’s contribution to the local economy is upwards of $7.5 million, according to the city, the benefits aren’t distributed across the board and many businesses are negatively affected.

“We know it’s been beneficial,” Wilson said. “It’s also been disruptive to businesses, and some don’t benefit.”

Conversely, the chamber and city provide the means, much of the manpower and sponsorship for the event.

“Ironman pays for some things; other things are not [paid],” Wilson said. “We write a check for sponsorship.”

Those are some of the things at issue in the latest negotiations, he said.

The length of the contract is among the issues being considered, he said.

“It’s somewhat open-ended,” he said. “There are a number of key issues under consideration.”

Money, however big the role it plays, is only a part of the picture, Stone said. Having Ironman in Coeur d’Alene is important on another footing.

“...The image that Coeur d’Alene has as a healthy place to live,” he said. “It’s not enough to have a recreational area that people can come to eat and drink and use the lake. It’s a cultural thing.”

Coeur d’Alene began playing host to Ironman races in 2003, and the June race will be the 14th WTC event here, Wilson said. Although Ironman weekend is comprised of many activities, the race is a one-day affair that includes a lake swim, a bicycling event and a run.