Preparations For A Pope: WMOF, Papal Visit Could Have Significant Economic Impact On Philadelphia Area
By Mark Abrams
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The opening of the World Meeting of Families, Philadelphia, is now just eight days away.
The event, which will bring Pope Francis to town the last weekend of the month, is drawing 17,000 people from around the globe for a large gathering at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Bob Ciaruffoli, is World Meeting of Families president and chairman of the board.
He says the event has a three-fold purpose.
"It's to promote families, family values, help families cope in today's society. The second one is obviously to energize the Catholic Church, not only in the Philadelphia region but in the United States. And, the third is to promote the Philadelphia region as a global destination for business as well as tourism," said Ciaruffoli.
Ciaruffoli says the Philadelphia area stands to realize big dividends.
"Overall economic impact tied into all this is well over $500 million, which is really, really big for the region," said Ciaruffoli.