Economic benefits of Vancouver World Cup games in question [Video]

When all three levels of government defended the ballooning price tag to host several 2026 FIFA World Cup games in Vancouver, they repeated a claim of significant economic benefits that experts and critics are questioning.

The new estimated cost of the seven games has more than doubled, up to $581 million, but the province says it has expert analysis projecting one million visitors and $1 billion in economic spinoff during the event and in the five years after.

Officials estimate 350,000 soccer fans will come to Vancouver and that based on previous research showing visitors who come once will return, they’ve multiplied those visits in the following years.

“Eating visiting, tourism,” B.C.’s tourism minister, Lana Popham, told reporters.

But a sports economist in Toronto says the research is clear that only a handful of sporting host cities have seen economic benefits or spinoffs.

“This is not going to create the …