IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood, 27, takes the checkered flag to win the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday Apr. 16, 2023. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the city’s annual racing spectacle that takes over the city’s downtown streets for three days, finished up its 48th — and most successful iteration yet, organizers say — on Sunday, April 16, without a hitch.

This year’s event, which kicked off on Friday, April 14, drew more than 192,000 spectators, according to Grand Prix Association of Long Beach CEO and President Jim Michaelian.

That’s a record for the modern era, he said, topping the Grand Prix’s previous high-water mark in 2008.

“We did sell out our grandstands this year completely by Saturday night — only general admission tickets were available by Sunday morning,” Michaelian said in a Monday, April 14, interview, “which emphasizes the fact that the interest in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach still remains, and is growing.”

Those hundreds of thousands of race lovers — and casual Grand Prix attendees alike — converged upon the street circuit on Sunday to catch a glimpse of the titular NTT IndyCar race, third stop in this year’s open-wheel series.

“We had perfect weather,” Michaelian said. “Yesterday morning, it started a little overcast — but fortunately for us and for our fans here, the clouds parted and the sun broke through right at noon time, which happened to coincide with the start of our three hour NBC broadcast the IndyCar race.”

And 85 laps later, the race — which had a unexpectedly turbulent start, with veteran Hélio Castroneves crashing on the first turn of the Lap One  — was over.

But amid the myriad mishaps of his Sunday foes, 24-year-old Florida native Kyle Kirkwood, at the helm of the AutoNation/Andretti Autosports pink no. 27 car, was pretty much flawless.

After rocky results in his first two races of the season and a disappointing rookie campaign, it was already clear that things were looking up for Kirkwood on Saturday, as he snagged the pole position with a late burst of speed during the final few laps of qualifying.

The pole-sitter took the checkered flag and cruised into Victory Lane with his first-ever IndyCar win, with Swiss-French Andretti Autosports teammate Romain Grosjean a second behind and Marcus Ericsson of Sweden in third, representing Chip Ganassi Racing.

But before Sunday’s grand finale  — amid three days jammed with racing activities, music and more — Grand Prix weekend had plenty to offer.

Things to do included a lifestyle expo featuring more than 100 retailers at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, a family fun zone with age-appropriate activities for kids, and plenty of options for those looking to enjoy an adult beverage and partake in Southern California’s 200 mph beach party, as the event’s been dubbed this year.

And of course, there were motorsports options galore on the seaside street course, from svelte Porsche sports cars to historic Formula One classics to high-flying Stadium Super Trucks trucks to sideways-skidding Super Drift showoffs.

All of those offerings, Michaelian said, contributed to the booming attendance this year.

“The diversity of entertainment that’s there matches the diversity of the audience that’s attending — it’s become almost traditional in terms of where people go and what they see and do,” Michaelian said. “I felt like that was really an added dimension to our event that I think is partly responsible for this substantial increase in our in our attendance.”

And the crowds certainly took advantage of the Grand Prix’s concessions this year, with Michaelian reporting a substantial increase in sales on the hospitality front as well.

“All the arrows are pointing in the right direction,” he said, “so that’s a very good sign.”

It’s not just a good sign for the Grand Prix itself, though. The event has been revered for the economic output it drives — not just in Long Beach, but throughout the Southern California region as whole.

Those benefits for Long Beach’s tourism and hospitality industries are showing through with more strength than ever before, said Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the city’s Convention & Visitors Bureau, in a Monday interview.

“(The Grand Prix) creates what I call a trial of the city,” Goodling said. “We’re fortunate to have it here because it permits us to annually showcase development in downtown Long Beach — you get to show the public what you can do.”

This year, local hotels were completely booked ahead of Grand Prix weekend, Goodling said.

“It sought us out all the way up to the airport — you could not find a hotel room in the city of Long Beach this weekend,” Goodling said. “And and then of course, we have over 120 restaurants in eight block radius right around the convention center.”

But aside from the immediate economic boost offered to local business, the Grand Prix also helps attract other event organizers to Long Beach in general.

“They get to experience, in short form, what it was like for their attendees in our city,” he said. “It is the premier showcase for the city.”

Last year, the LBCVB signed on about 80 clients to the event, Goodling said — 20 of whom were so delighted with what Long Beach had to offer that they came back to host other citywide conventions later.

“And our citywide conventions are worth an average of two and a half to three and a half million dollars,” Goodling said.

Overall, the event is expected to provide a $60 million upswing for the Southern California economy, Long Beach’s Economic Development Department director Bo Martinez said previously. About $30 million of that is anticipated to come from consumer spending on hotel stays, restaurants, labor income and tax revenue in Long Beach.

“With visitors from all around the world, the Grand Prix showcased the best of Long Beach,” Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Jeremey Harris said in a Monday statement, “through its first rate tourism and hospitality programs that was a boon for the city’s hotels, businesses, restaurants and bars.”

This year’s Grand Prix — as in years past — went off without any major safety concerns, despite the extra thousands of people who toured the city over the weekend.

The Long Beach Police Department issued 17 citations at the event, according to spokesperson Brandon Fahey, with no arrests reported.

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All in all, the parties involved with putting on the event — from city officials to the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach itself — have touted this year’s Grand Prix as one for the record books.

“I am proud to say that the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach was a tremendous success, with record attendance levels and a significant economic impact on our community,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a Monday statement. “I want to thank everyone involved in making this event a success, boosting tourism and local businesses in Long Beach. We look forward to next year’s Grand Prix.”

And as for Michaelian and the GPALB — they’ve already got their eyes set on ensuring that next year’s 49th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, which is set for the weekend of April 19-21, 2024, is just as good.

“Even as the racing circuit is being removed, we’re already planning a series of meetings now planning on what we’re going to do to even enhance the experience here in 2024,” Michaelian said. “We’re we’re delighted with the way things turned out this year — and we’re anxious to make sure that next year is even better.”