The Tall Ships Tacoma 2008 festival generated $19.2 million in economic impact, according to a study conducted by an outside company and released by event officials Friday.

And of the roughly 300,000 people attended this year’s event about 48,000 visitors came from more than 50 miles away. On average, they stayed 2.6 days and spent $88.09 per person per day.

Stan Selden, the co-chairman of the Tacoma Tall Ships Organization, hailed the report as good news several weeks after the nonprofit announced it ran the festival at a $500,000 deficit.

“It’s a very, very positive plus for all the efforts we all put into it,” he said. “It’s the rest of the story.”

The festival drew fewer visitors than organizers had hoped in part because of the constant threat of rain. Selden also believes the economy played a factor in how much people spent at the event.

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As part of my reporting on today's synagogue story, I read the dozens of letters that residents and others have written the city. Among the letters is one from Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor.

In it, Pastor doesn't just voice his support to the project. Dude gets downright biblical:

The prophet Jeremiah, during the Babylonian exile of the people of Israel, encouraged the people to "look after the peace and well-being of the city" because, in that way, they would find peace and well-being. Today, the City of Tacoma has an opportunity to look after the well-being of the Chabad community by helping them through the process of permitting a new synagogue. In doing so, the City would benefit the well-being of the entire community.

Deep.

We're going to be meeting with some folks from the Tacoma Tall Ships Organization today to discuss the economic impact July's event had on Pierce County.