Senior Bowl week is officially underway which means hotels, restaurants and local vendors are staying busy reaping the financial benefits of the annual event.

According to a University of South Alabama study, the Reese’s Senior Bowl generates $27 million for Mobile.

For local vendors, Saturday’s event has a huge impact on their bottom line.

For 15 years, the signs you’ve seen around town or inside Ladd-Peebles Stadium promoting the Senior Bowl were made by Brian Vailes and his staff at Sign Pro.

“We call it painting the town orange. Orange is our new favorite color,” said Vailes, owner of Sign Pro on Airport Blvd.

Sign Pro is one of many local vendors that help make the Senior Bowl a success.

Vailes said it is exciting to see his work on television each year.

“It has a big impact on my business. December and January can be slow months. If it weren’t for Senior Bowl, it would be really slow so it gets us through the slow months,” said Vailes.

Downtown Mobile is anything but slow this week. Hotels like the Hampton Inn, the Battle House and the Renaissance Riverview Plaza are sold out.

“We kind of like to boast the Reese’s Senior Bowl as being kind of an unofficial NFL convention because there are nearly 1,000 NFL personnel here whether its coaches, scouts, general managers, you name it. Then you’ve got 500-600 media members,” said Senior Bowl Public Relations Director Rob Lehocky.

With Senior Bowl week coinciding with Mardi Gras this year, even hotels across the bay are feeling the impact.

“We’re sending them to Baldwin County where I think we make a $3 million to $4 million impact as well and one guy was staying in Saraland so they’re everywhere,” said Lehocky.

Last year the Senior Bowl resulted in more than 20,000 hotel room bookings in the Mobile area.http://www.local15tv.com/sports/features/local-sports/stories/Senior-Bowl-Economic-Impact-27-Million–251750.shtml#.VqdS6G47CM8