Rock Chalk Park proved itself as a smart investment for Lawrence during the National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships, which wrapped up Sunday.

The weeklong event attracted 8,000 athletes and 25,000 total visitors to the Lawrence area. Direct spending by those visitors is estimated to be $17.7 million, according to a report from eXplore Lawrence, the city’s convention and visitors bureau. The event generated an estimated $840,000 in local sales taxes and hotel guest taxes.

The report estimated that lodging businesses drew $6.5 million; restaurants $4.9 million; and retail $3 million. Other industries that benefited included transportation companies at about $1.4 million, recreation-oriented businesses at $1.1 million, business services at about $390,000 and event rental businesses at about $290,000.

The estimates are for the entire region. Demand for hotel rooms for the track and field championships exceeded Lawrence’s capacity and many guests stayed in Topeka hotels to the west and suburban Kansas City hotels to the east. But officials anticipate that more analysis will show most of the tourism dollars were spent in Lawrence.

The Junior Olympics is the largest youth track and field meet in the country, drawing competitors ranging in age from 7 to 18. It also is the largest event to be held at Rock Chalk Park, the $25 million multisport complex that opened in the fall of 2014.

Lawrence is among the smallest cities to host the Junior Olympics. The event was held in Sacramento in 2016, Jacksonville in 2015, Houston in 2014 and Greensboro, N.C., in 2013. Lawrence, whose bid to host the 2011 Junior Olympics was denied, likely wouldn’t have been a competitive host site without Rock Chalk Park.

The Junior Olympics showcased the world-class Rock Chalk Park track venue, which is one of only five tracks in the United States that has been certified as a Class 1 track by the International Association of Athletics Federations. The other Class 1 tracks are at the facilities at the University of Oregon, Auburn University, the University of Arkansas and Icahn Stadium in New York City.

Robin Brown-Beamon, USATF’s director of outreach, said Lawrence stands a good chance of hosting the event again based on how well the 2017 event went.

“This is one of the top five Junior Olympics that I have seen, and I have been to every one in the last 25 years,” Brown-Beamon said.

Bob Sanner, the executive director of Lawrence Sports Corporation, and Sheahon Zenger, University of Kansas athletics director, should be saluted for their work in bringing the Junior Olympics to Lawrence. So too should the 600-plus volunteers who helped with the event last week.

The Junior Olympics was a major win for Rock Chalk Park and the city of Lawrence. May there be many more to come.