The Holiday Bowl is iconic to San Diego, not only because of the football game, but also because of its importance to San Diego’s economy.

Washington State and Syracuse play in the Holiday Bowl on Friday at Snapdragon Stadium, the first time the game has been played in Mission Valley.

Since 1978, in its 45 years of existence, the Holiday Bowl has generated more than $1 billion in economic impact in San Diego.

“That’s why we’re doing this,” Holiday Bowl CEO Mark Neville told NBC 7 Thursday morning. “This is to create economic benefits for San Diego.”

On average, the Holiday Bowl pumps between $15 million and $20 million annually into the local economy, with visitors across San Diego coming at what is traditionally the slowest time of year for tourism.

“When people come to San Diego for the game, of course they come for the football game, but once they’re here, there’s no better bowl destination in the country, period,” Neville said. “Nowhere else in the country can you do so many things and see so many beautiful sights,” he added, “and millions of viewers will be watching this game and San Diego.”

As for the game, the scars are still healing from 2021, when UCLA dropped out hours before kickoff citing COVID issues, leading to the Holiday Bowl being canceled. There was talk this year that Washington State wouldn’t play in the game because their head coach left for a new job, many assistant coaches left the team and more than 25 players entered the transfer portal, but last week the Cougars reaffirmed their commitment to the Holiday Bowl and its head coach left no doubt at Thursday’s Holiday Bowl press conference.

“You make changes and you put in young men who have grit and are going to fight,” Washington State interim coach Pete Kaligis said. “That will be the whole message tonight and tomorrow…It’s your time” to shine. It really is.”