VAIL, Colorado — The summer Teva Mountain Games bring the town of Vail alive with athletes, music and spectators, and this weekend's Winter Teva Mountain Games is expected to do the same.

The Vail Valley Foundation reports $4.5 million-$5 million in economic impacts during the summer games, with as many as 45,000 spectators visiting town over the course of the four-day summer event.

The Winter Teva Mountain Games, which begins today, is a three-day event that organizers expect will generate just as much buzz.

Kirsten Texler, spokeswoman for the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa, which is sold out this weekend, could already see and feel the excitement Thursday, especially because Vail Mountain received fresh snow Wednesday and Thursday, she said. The Cascade is one of several so-called preferred lodging partners — sponsors — for the Winter Teva Mountain Games.

Through the Cascade's website traffic, Texler said she could tell people were monitoring the weather a little more than usual. And from there, Web visitors have been looking at what else is going on in town.

“When they see Teva Winter, they go nuts,” Texler said.

She knows that because she's been monitoring the social media chatter on Facebook and Twitter, too, and there's definitely a buzz for the weekend. Many Front Range journalists staying at the Cascade have also told Texler that there's excitement about the event along the Front Range.

And with a little bit of fresh snow, people feel more confident about coming up for the weekend to watch the Teva Mountain Games, she said. If they show up and the snow is great, then they can ski longer. But if they show up and the snow isn't to their liking, “they know they have something to do,” Texler said.

Rob Levine, general manager at the Antlers at Vail, also a preferred lodging partner this weekend, said February is a busy month at the Antlers already, so he's not sure the Teva Mountain Games have specifically made the Antlers busier.

But, he said, the event is an additional event for guests already staying at the Antlers.

“It certainly makes Vail a better place — a better experience for (guests) that makes them more likely to return, so that's all good,” Levine said.

The Antlers, which is located close to the Lionshead base area, is one of the lodges in Vail that has a prime location. Levine said similar lodges are usually pretty full this time of year.

“Those of us who have the luxury of being in the prime spots and close to the lifts are generally pretty full anyway and may not see a significant increase in business specifically because of the event,” Levine said. “But if it helps other people, that helps us — in the long run, all boats rise with the tide.”

Levine said hotels typically like to see events during the softer times of the year — in the spring and fall — when rooms are empty and the business is needed, but he also understands why attracting big events with big sponsorships during those times is also difficult.

“We're excited about the winter games and I think it's really good for Vail,” he said.

And if the summer economic impact numbers are any indication of winter's success, the games will certainly be good for Vail. The daily occupancy report for the town of Vail as of Jan. 15 of this year compared to bookings as of Jan. 15 last year shows a spike in room bookings — and last year was a record snow year and this year, not so much.

Community Editor Lauren Glendenning can be reached at 970-748-2983 or lglendenning@vaildaily.com.