"Nobody had any clue this would happen," Doug Small, president of the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said.

　　Because the summer travel season was over and no other major events were taking place in the area, he said it's likely many extra hotel guests were also in town because of ArtPrize, Small said.

　　ArtPrize had 1,262 entries — works of every size, shape and medium installed in lobbies, on bridges, in parking lots and even in the Grand River that winds through downtown Grand Rapids.

　　The ArtPrize winners were chosen "American Idol" style by the voting public, who made their picks through the event's Web site or by sending text messages from cell phones. There were 37,264 voters.

　　Ran Ortner of Brooklyn, N.Y., won first place with his 19-foot-wide oil painting, "Open Water No. 24." Tracy Van Duinen of Chicago placed second and won $100,000; Eric Daigh of Traverse City, Mich., won $50,000 for third. The remaining seven finalists each received $7,000.

　　Ortner loaned his painting to the Grand Rapids Art Museum, where it will remain through January.

【编辑：张瑜】