Ben Huffman, director of sports enterprises for the the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCCVB), estimates visitors in town for the events will create nearly $3.3 million in economic impact and reserve for more than 6,700 room nights at local hotels and bed & breakfasts during the weekend.
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“These tournaments will be bringing in athletes and visitors from numerous states throughout the Midwest, as well as a handful of southern and northeastern states. The numbers mentioned … were calculated based on previous years’ visitation and financial figures, as well as team registration totals for this year’s events. All of these tournaments have been held in the area in years past,” Huffman said.
According to Huffman, the Big East Baseball Championships will be played from May 23-May 26 at PRASCO Park in Mason and the OHSAA Boys State Tennis Championships from May 24-27 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.
Also in Mason, the NIKE Midwest Showdown is to be held from May 24-May 27 at Courts 4 Sports in Mason.
In Blue Ash in Hamilton County, the Blue Ash Woodbat Classic is to be held from May 24-27 at 10 sites across the area, including Kings High School and several other Warren County facilities.
In Cincinnati, the 13th Annual Girls Basketball Association Memorial Classic is to be held from May 24-27 at the RG Basketball Academy.
“Sports tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments in the entire travel industry, and we’ve been fortunate over the past several years to really establish ourselves as a go-to sporting destination,” Huffman said in a press release. “Youth, amateur and collegiate athletes are traveling to compete more than ever today, and they’re bringing with them their coaches, fans, parents, siblings and friends – all of whom contribute to the host region’s local economy.”
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Warren County’s newest sporting facility, the Warren County Sports Park at Union Village, is currently under construction and due to host its first events this year.
“When people travel for sports, their experiences extend well beyond the soccer field, basketball court or baseball diamond,” Phillip S. Smith, president and CEO of the WCCVB, said in the release. “Warren County is unique in that we not only offer our visiting athletes terrific on-field experiences, but awesome restaurants, hotels and attractions to enjoy during their downtime. That’s a rare combination in the travel sports industry, and something we’ve really been able to leverage.”
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